FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WLKI) - A Michigan truck driver has been booked into the Allen County Jail after being charged in connection with a June interstate crash that killed two people and seriously injured two others.
According to 21Alive, 70-year-old Gjergj Degaj was arrested Wednesday on an Allen County warrant charging him with two counts of reckless homicide and one count of criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon.
The charges stem from a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 69 that involved three semi-trucks and three passenger vehicles.
Investigators allege Degaj was driving his semi at 73 miles per hour through a construction zone with a posted speed limit of 55 miles per hour when he failed to slow for stopped traffic. Court documents state the truck struck the vehicle driven by 15-year-old Drew Saddington before colliding with a van driven by 70-year-old Bradley Maller. The impact then caused a chain reaction involving another semi and additional vehicles.
Saddington and Maller both died from injuries sustained in the crash. Saddington's driving instructor was seriously injured, as was Degaj.
According to court records cited by 21Alive, a certified crash reconstructionist determined Degaj did not brake before striking the stopped vehicles. Investigators concluded the collision placed numerous motorists at risk and resulted in five stopped vehicles being hit.
The Indiana State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division also determined Degaj's commercial driver's license was not valid at the time of the crash. Investigators further reported that he was not proficient in English, and a forensic examination of a tablet recovered from the truck indicated YouTube was active shortly before the collision.
The charges are allegations, and Degaj is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.