Seattle, Washington – Man on Truck’s Cherry-Picker Injured After Thief Drives Truck

Seattle, Washington  (May 20, 2019) – A worker sustained a minor injury while he was in the basket of a truck’s cherry picker after a thief stole and drove the truck. The victim suffered an injury to his hand and was badly shaken from the incident.

The incident began on Monday night around 7 p.m. when the victim and his co-worker were installing signage on a light pole near 4th Avenue and Cherry Street. A man approached their truck and proceeded to enter it, driving the vehicle despite the worker still trapped in the truck’s cherry picker. The truck continued for three blocks until it stopped at 4th Avenue and Madison Street, where the two workers pulled the suspect from the truck and held him until the police arrived. The suspect has since been booked into King County Jail, and he is under investigation for kidnapping and vehicle theft.

About Truck Accidents

While this particular incident is caused by a criminal element, it is still important to note safety reminders involving truck operation. The state of Washington’s  2015 Annual Collision Data Summary reported that 6,091 commercial vehicle or heavy trucks were involved in collisions in 2015. These crashes included 38 fatal collisions, 85 serious injury collisions, 1,352 minor injury collisions, 4,565 property damage collisions, and 51 unknown injury collisions. Truck accidents can have many causes, and due to the size and road performance of these vehicles, the involvement of one in an accident can lead to heavy losses. Unlike other vehicles, truck accidents can involve many people other than the driver, such as the owner of the truck, the manufacturer of parts, the company which handles it, and so on and so forth. Truck accidents also have a varied list of causes. Weather and road conditions can play a part in it, as was the case in this particular truck accident. There are also of course driver errors, as well as lack of training in operating the truck. Additionally, due to the type of job, both drivers and vehicles can experience fatigue. Additionally, as seen in this case, one must also be cautious while using a truck other functions.

Whether operating a truck or seeing one on the road, all drivers must follow regulations to avoid incurring damages and injuries to themselves and people around them. If you have been the victim of a truck accident, we extend our sympathy and compassion.

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