A 46-year-old Maryland man was killed after falling off his motorcycle and being struck by a large truck. According to a Lebanon Daily News report, the fatal motorcycle accident occurred on Interstate 81 in East Hanover Township. Officials say the rider lost control of his Kawasaki Vulcan motorcycle and slid into the middle of the roadway. He was struck by a tractor-trailer as he slid away from his motorcycle. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.
The truck driver involved in the collision, a male in his 50s, was not available for questioning because he fled the scene of the crash on foot. Investigators are trying to determine what caused the victim to slide across the roadway as well as why the tractor-trailer driver was unable to avoid the collision. It is unclear if the truck driver would have been cited for the crash had he not left the scene of the crash without notifying the authorities.
According to The Daily News, the victim of this hit-and-run crash was the thirteenth fatality reported in Lebanon County traffic accidents this year. The most recent fatally injured victim before this crash was an 18-year-old driver who was killed on August 25 along West Kercher Avenue in North Lebanon Township.
Whatever the cause of the crash, you are legally required to remain at the site of an injury accident until the authorities arrive. Drivers who fail to remain at the scene of a fatal crash can be held criminally responsible for their actions. A criminal conviction will not, however, result in compensation for the victim’s family. If you have lost a loved one in a fatal hit-and-run crash, it may be in your best interest to discuss your legal rights and options with an experienced Maryland personal injury lawyer. Financial compensation may be available through civil litigation against the at-fault driver or through the victim’s own insurance policy.