Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 26 July 2017

Driver of truck with immigrants who died had license issues

mercial drivers to submit to Florida originally but had
show they are physically fit been spending most of his
for the road. time in Louisville, Kentucky,
Alexis Bakofsky, a spokes- as his health worsened.
woman for the Florida Bradley had diabetes that
Department of Highway he hadn’t properly treated,
Safety and Motor Vehicles, she said, and had to have
said it would have been il- a series of amputations,
legal for him to have had most recently the removal
an additional license from of his leg this spring.
another state. Authorities Federal law requires com-
say Bradley’s truck was mercial drivers to be
discovered Sunday morn- screened by a doctor for
ing in a Walmart parking serious medical condi-
lot crammed with dozens tions that might impair their
of immigrants. Ten of them ability to safely operate
died and many more were their vehicles. “The medi-
taken to the hospital and cal card certification is ex-
treated for dehydration tremely serious business.
and heat stroke. Bradley, Drivers watch it like hawks
60, faces charges of illegal- because you can’t drive a
ly transporting immigrants truck without it,” said Ken-
for financial gain resulting in neth S. Armstrong, the pres-
death, possibly punishable ident of the Florida Trucking
James Mathew Bradley Jr., 60, of Clearwater, Florida, left, arrives at the federal courthouse for by life in prison or the death Association who reviewed
a hearing, Monday, July 24, 2017, in San Antonio. Bradley was arrested in connection with the
deaths of multiple people packed into a broiling tractor-trailer. penalty. Florida records Bradley’s driving record
(AP Photo/Eric Gay) show that his medical card for the Associated Press.
on file with the highway de- “When you’re moving a
By CLAIRE GALOFARO crammed with immigrants Bradley Jr.’s commercial partment expired on March 50, 60, 70, 80,000-pound
RYAN J. FOLEY that 10 people died had his driving privileges on April 15 and he was notified to vehicle along the road,
Associated Press license to drive commer- 12 after he failed to pro- update it. He never did. we hold those people to
A long-haul truck driver ar- cial trucks rescinded three vide the state with a cur- Bradley’s fiancee, Darni- a higher health standard
rested for driving a trac- months earlier. Florida dis- rent medical card, which sha Rose, told The Associ- than a typical passenger
tor-trailer so hot and so qualified James Matthew federal law requires com- ated Press that he is from car driver.”q

Survivor of deadly California crash blames social media

By SCOTT SMITH sion station KSEE in Fresno about.” The driver was livestream- teen says.
Associated Press (http://bit.ly/2v2bYRB) re- Authorities say Obdulia ing on Instagram and re- “If you don’t survive, I’m so
FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — A ported Monday. Sanchez, 18, was driv- corded the crash. (expletive) sorry.”
14-year-old survivor of a “Honestly, I’m not mad at ing the car Friday when it After a gap in the The driver was wearing a
deadly car crash in Califor- anybody and I don’t blame veered onto the shoulder livestream, the driver is seen seatbelt but not the two
nia that was livestreamed anybody,” Seja, who suf- of a road about 75 miles standing over the body of girls, the California Highway
on Instagram said she fered a leg injury, said dur- (120.7 kilometers) north- the girl, saying she was sorry Patrol said.
isn’t mad at anyone and ing an interview with the west of Fresno. and it was the last thing she Obdulia Sanchez was ar-
doesn’t blame the driver. station. She overcorrected, caus- wanted to happen. rested on suspicion of
Instead, Manuela Seja “It’s all affected by social ing the vehicle to swerve She said she expected to drunken driving and ve-
blamed social media, media. and overturn into a field, spend the rest of her life in hicular manslaughter and
which she said has taken That’s what life is now. And ejecting and killing her prison but doesn’t care. remained in jail with bail set
over people’s lives and it’s going to advance more 14-year-old sister, Jacque- “This is the last thing I want- at $300,000.
is only going to become and more. line Sanchez, authorities ed to happen, OK? ... Rest She is expected to appear
more prevalent, televi- That what it’s going to be said. in peace, sweetie,” the in court on Wednesday. q