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Subscribe to RSSA 16-year-old Louisiana boy driving a tractor-trailer hit and killed two Texas women who were changing a tire on Interstate 70 near Limon, Colo., at about 6:30 a.m. Saturday, The Associated Press reported.
Tristan Martin, of Sulphur, La., was driving a 2003 Volvo tractor-trailer that was pulling a trailer full of horses. The boy was en route to Wyoming with his father to compete in a rodeo, The Denver Post reported.
According to the AP, the boy's father, Michael Martin, 37, initially told the Colorado State Patrol he had been the driver.
The victims, Shun Jones, 48, of Carrollton, Texas, and her cousin, Amanda Omo-Iyamu, 38, of Balch Springs, Texas, were in Colorado to visit family, Jones' son Quincy Jones told The Denver Post.
"My mom was trying to get my family to bond back together like they used to be," he said.
9news.com
The teen's father, Michael Martin, 37, initially told the Colorado State Patrol he had been the driver.
The teen left before troopers arrived, the AP reported, and was charged with two felony counts of leaving the scene of a deadly accident, and one misdemeanor count of careless driving causing death. His father faces one misdemeanor count of false reporting.
The Martins have been released on bail, The Post reported, $500 for the father and $100,000 for the son, according to Capt. Clint Tweden of the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office.
The Martins were driving to Rock Springs, Wyo., to compete in the National High School Finals Rodeo, Lydia Martin, Tristan's aunt told the newspaper.
"We are praying for that family, and we are truly sorry. It is a disaster, a nightmare, and our hearts go out to them," Lydia Martin said.
Martin told The Post that Tristan had a Louisiana personal driver's license, adding that driving a single-axle truck pulling a large horse trailer doesn't require a commercial driver's license.
"[The truck] can be classified as a farm vehicle," she told The Post.
Colorado authorities told WFAA.com they are investigating whether the teen was breaking the law.
“We are investigating whether he was complying with federal guidelines,” Colorado State Patrol Sgt. Mike Baker told WFAA.com.
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Too many mistakes. No 16 year old has enough driving experience to be behind the wheel of something like this especially at dawn (6:30 A.M.) when it is hard to see. Headlights aren't much good anymore but the sky isn't bright yet. Dad never should have let his son drive in those conditions. The two women might not have pulled far enough off the road or they should have continued to drive slowly to get to a better place to change the tire. Or waited until it was full light so traffic could see them.
Darn,,,for someone who was not there you know a whole bunch about what happened , amazing !
Sunrise was at 05:46 it would have been full daylight. Traveling to Wyoming they would have been headed west or if they were past Limon they would have been on the stretch that runs north-west. It is open flat terrain.
A volvo tactor is for long-haul heavy duty loads. the father had no business allowing a 16yr boy behind the wheel to drive the rig. stupid is as stupid does.
I really hate people who make excuses for criminal behavior. E.g.'s: The father allowing his teen son to drive while he catches a few zzzzz's. The father telling his son to leave the scene - in other words, NOT accept responsibility for his actions - and the father lying about being the person driving the semi-trailer.
The child should be taken away from the father for abuse. It's abuse to teach a child to be a lying, no account thug.
However, the reality of the situation is, I have witnessed numerous, obviously teenagers driving semi-tractor trailers on north I-25 headed to and from Wyoming. Apparently, the Colorado Highway Patrol doesn't think this is a threat to public safety. In the dozen years that I've lived in the Balloon-boy State, I have seen less-than a handful of semi's pulled over for violating traffic laws.
Hey folks. I have two daughters that have been driving on the farm since they were 12. Hauling trailers, trailers with loads of round bales, driving large tractors, etc... It's likely that this young man had more experience than you might think. My daughters are exceptional drivers when it comes to hauling our large stock trailer. Sometimes I think they are better than I am because they haven't had years of experience to make them complacent. They show a considerable amount of caution. If these folks were hauling horses, then likely those horses were worth quite a bit. I seriously doubt that the guy let his son drive if he didn't have the experience and knowledge to do so. Think about it folks, how many buy their first holiday trailer later in life with no experience hauling one and set out on the open road. Do you think they are better equiped than a young man who has grown up learning how to do it?
Wow, blaming the victims. It's becoming the american way. Common sense has gone the way of manners and blinkers; no one uses them anymore.
Alberta Girl,
Would your daughters leave the scene of an accident if they caused one? Whether or not this boy was a good driver is not the question right now. The question is: Was it legal for him to drive this Volvo without a commercial drivers license? He has already proved that he isn't as good a driver as he thought he was by killing two women. He has already proved he was not an adult by conspiring with his father to leave the scene. Rodeo or no rodeo, you take responsibility for your actions, especially behind the wheel. He has committed a crime now, and must pay the consequences.
The fact that he plowed over two women on the shoulder is a pretty good demonstration that he did NOT have either enough experience or adequate driving skills to be driving that rig. The fact that the father told him to run away from the scene so he could lie to the police and say he was driving shows the father KNEW that it was wrong to let the boy drive, and he was trying to cover up his mistake.
I believe that the minimum age to drive a farm-exemption tractor-trailer across State lines is 18 years old, and that is by USDOT/FMCSA law.
I drove 18-wheel tractor-trailers for more than 30 years and in that time never killed or injured anyone, nor did I ever do more than $2500 worth of damage to a vehicle either. My grandfather, who owned both a medium-sized truckline as well as a cattle ranch in Kansas, taught me to drive an old farm tractor at age 8, an old Packard at age 10, and a 6-wheel stake bed truck at the age of 12, so that I could help bale alfalfa on his ranch. By the age of 16, the legal minimum age for a driver's license in Michigan, I was already a pretty decent car driver, but beyond driving a 6-wheel truck on the ranch at very slow speed, I didn't start driving semis until the age of 21, and for my first 3 months doing so, I was only a 2nd driver under the direction of a more-experienced driver too.
I myself think that legally the kid was too young to drive a semi across State lines, and that his father should shoulder the lion's share of the burden for this accident, as the kid had no legal business behind the wheel of a semi on a Colorado public highway with a Louisiana driver's license. I feel that his dad should face the entire weight of the charges for allowing the kid to drive illegally, and that the kid might face no worse than the loss of his license for maybe a year or two at the most. Quite likely they were running late and dad was trying to make-up time, by putting his kid behind the wheel illegally when dad was too tired to continue driving himself, but what Dad did (or failed to do, such as obey the law) got two innocent women killed, and that is plainly not excusable.
I think that maybe dad could use some time in the pokey to think about the consequences of his blatantly illegal actions, though I see no good purpose incarcerating his kid, since the kid is in a way a victim of his dad's illegal actions too.
I think the father ought to go to jail. And I think the son was probably going to sleep at the wheel, when he hit those two women. That is if he was the one that was driving. Another way you can look at this, the father could have been driving. He didn't stop at the scene of the accident, so they went up the road and changed drivers. Because he knew they couldn't do anything or want do anything to a 16 year old punk kid. Because he is under age.
Very tragic. Many mistakes were made. Poor horses do not seem to have a good future now. Sad all around.
I agree with you that many mistakes were made. However....
Poor Horses? How about the families of the two dead women? There was no mention of the horses having any injuries whatsoever (in ANY article I've been able to find) - But two women are DEAD. A different source (blog with a news video at the bottom of the page) reveals that a son of one of the women killed was there WITH THEM and he saw his mother and aunt's bodies fly through the air. His aunt died then and there, but he got to see his mom suffer - she didn't die right away. His mother had been working in the medical profession as a CNA for 30 years (Source: here). How about the future of the kid who watched him mom & aunt die? And his sister?
The future of the 16-yr-old kid is in peril as well, and these charges (as well as the memory that he's responsible for the deaths of two women) will follow him for the rest of his life. The horses are eating hay & oats. They don't even know that two people were killed. I'm pretty dang sure the HORSES will be fine.
Yes, you are very correct. Poor Horses? He should have used the term "fat cows". Thank you for your input.
No kidding. Poor horses? Really? I bet you get upset when you see people fishing or someone cutting down a tree. Sorry but that just blows me away.
Probably one of those PETA people who care more for pets than people..
What an idiot!!! Poor horses
I agree w/ alumette. Why do you people have such disregard for animal life? They are no less God's creatures than we are. Have some compassion. Yeah, it is a sad tragedy for the women, but they are no longer here, and now the horses have to live with these dimwits... Go ahead and call me an idiot and whatever else makes you feel superior. I will always care for an animal before any heartless, uncompassionate human. ALWAYS.
I love horses... but 'poor horses' was NOT what jumped into my head when I read this article. Two people are dead, a 16 year old boy is in a lot of trouble due to his father's poor judgement, and the father is in lots of trouble as well. The horses were not injured that any of us are aware of..... and you're concerned that the 'future of the horses' might not be so great?? As in, what? They won't get to compete in the rodeo after all?
Two people killed and people have more compassion for animals than the ladies killed. THAT's what's wrong with society. I do not condone animal abuse and know better to think that animals don't have feelings (you should see my dog and his jealous attitude), but c'mon - you mention the horses and don't think twice of a human being killed. Something seriously wrong with you.
The son was probably not breaking the law, because it was not by definition a "tractor-trailer," it was a pickup truck pulling a (probably) 5th wheel horse trailer. That does not excuse the fact that it probably was too big a rig for him to be driving on the open highway, nor the fact that the father lied about who was driving the truck at the time of the accident.
MSNBC should not put lurid headlines on articles like this one! It diminishes the truth of the story.
Yes: It was a mis-leading headline.
With the kid driving, there may not be insurance.
I didn't know that Kenworth made a pickup truck! You are sooooo wrong. It was a full on semi tractor hauling a huge horse trailer. I'm pretty sure that this kid was not licensed for that size rig in the State of Colorado. What you can get away with on country roads in Texas doesn't count on the interstate. The proof that this was a bad idea is two women killed in the good light of day. The kid then escaped to Wyoming, taken there by a following companion car. Dad lied to the state patrol. Not good, probably even in Texas.
Not that I am making any excuses for Texas, but WHERE do you see any Texas involvement (other than the two women killed resided there) in this tragedy, Don? The truck (of whatever size it actually is) is licensed (presumably) in Louisiana, and the incident happened in COLORADO. Before 'putting down' Texas, please be certain of your information...
ACCORDING TO MR. DON HARRIS:
I didn't know that Kenworth made a pickup truck! You are sooooo wrong. It was a full on semi tractor hauling a huge horse trailer. I'm pretty sure that this kid was not licensed for that size rig in the State of Colorado. What you can get away with on country roads in Texas doesn't count on the interstate. The proof that this was a bad idea is two women killed in the good light of day. The kid then escaped to Wyoming, taken there by a following companion car. Dad lied to the state patrol. Not good, probably even in Texas.
Speaking of "sooooooo wrong"...It is not stated anywhere that the young man "escaped to Wyoming, taken there by a following companion car". Really, sir??? Completely FALSE!!! Enough drama....tsk, tsk....shame, shame...
I agree. The headline was completely unnecessary and factual wrong. The facts of the story are devastating enough. Trying to mislead readers to get them to the story is disgraceful. Anyone with half a brain knows that a truck pulling a trailer of horses does not equate to a tractor-trailer.
Plus could the horse trailer have been considered an agricultural vehicle? Common for ag-related transportation to have different guidelines. I'm confused though, did the teen leave the scene by himself or did he (possibly dad's idea) leave the scene with the vehicle?
READ people: it was "a VOLVO tractor trailer." Volvo doesn't make pickup trucks, it was a semi.
There is absolutely NOTHING misleading about the headline!
It WAS a tractor-trailer, and the police in LA are saying that it was NOT legal for him to drive it, even in his own state. He would have had to have a commercial driver's license AND be 18 for it to be legal in LA.
I was driving trucks and horse trailers at 15. I never ran anyone over. As long as you don't gross over 26,000 lbs you do not need a CDL. It looks like this is another sensationalized headline to get our attention, Volvo does make a smaller truck than a semi. I see them every day. Sad affair that two ladies lost their lives, I feel for their families.
If this kid made it to the National HS Rodeo Finals, he's probably more experienced at pulling a trailer than most adults. I just wonder if he just didn't see the women and hit them or if it was unavoidable. Funny how that was left out of the story. MSN would have us think he intentionally plowed them over.
I'm not trying to say the kid was in the right for leaving the scene or anything. It's tragic all the way around. The dad was in the wrong in my opinion for taking the blame. Nothing can bring back the two women that lost their lives.
you obviously havent seen the pictures of the truck and trailer. The trailer is not considered a semi anymore bc it has one rear axle. TRUST ME I HAVE BEEN ON THE ROAD LOTS WITH THE RODEO! bc it has been transformed from a commercial truck to a regular pickup by removing the one rear axle and adding a flat bed then he was legal to drive it.
Plus if you did see hte pictures of the car it was not completely off the road. The women did not pull off to the side of the road. The pictures show that. The are about 1/2 car on the raod and half the car off the road on the burm. So in that case the boy is not 100% at fault. Someone had posted on one of my forums that they had seen the accident and that the pictures in fact are what they look like. car was not completely off the road 1/2 still on the highway and 1/2 off the highway.
Teach your kid to run from his mistakes, Priceless
How about making a hasty decision whereby you are trying to protect your child. Protect him from viewing the devastation at the scene, instintively protecting him from an awful tragedy. Right or Wrong...not for you or I to judge.
Uh, teach - if he is 'adult' enough to drive a big truck, he has to be 'adult' enough to deal with the consequences. If a 16 year old is too fragile to view the devastation HE CAUSED, he has no business driving at all, never mind a big truck like that. Tt was both morally and legally WRONG for the father to lie and for the boy to run away from the scene of the accident he caused, and we most certainly can judge that.
I most sincerely hope you are not actually an educator of any sort.
This is a tragedy for all parties involved. Both families will be deeply affected for a lifetime; mistakes led to this accident...and it is just that....AN ACCIDENT. There was no intended harm here and given the opportunity things would have been different, but they weren't and now the family must deal with this devastation and they don't need to be "tried in the press" or on any forum. Without being the persons this happened to, no one has the right to comment or judge anyone's choices. With that being said, after reading the news feeds and viewing video and pictures, I've observed a few things. The truck WAS NOT a "tractor trailer", anyone who has seen the pictures can tell this was a single axle truck; Louisiana laws vary from other states on who can and can't drive this type of vehicle with or without a CDL. This young man was to compete at the National High School Rodeo in Wyoming. To reach this point of his high school career, he wasn't just some random kid behind the wheel of a truck. These young people are of substance; they work hard day in and day out to make these accomplishments. I can guarantee you that I would put this young man in charge of anything on my farm and walk away knowing it will be completed to the T...because this type of young man takes pride in everything he does...that's how he got headed to Wyoming. As far as the father initially saying he was driving? What parent doesn't want to protect their child?? In the moments following this horrific accident, wanting to protect your child, can YOU say what you would have done? Of course, it would all come out eventually...but right or wrong is not for you or I to decide! You can't imagine making any of these choices unless you were one of these people; you weren't, so do not judge. The two beautiful women whose lives were lost...Mrs. Jones' expression in her picture tells me that she is a person who loves people and her God. I find this ironic because I would describe the Martin family in the same way. Other factors which would have made a difference as many others have stated is whether the car was far enough off the side of the highway; maybe, maybe not. Yet one thing is certain, there was an exit off the interstate one mile ahead according to the sign that the car was stopped next to. Reducing speed, putting on your flashers, and getting to a safe location to change a tire could have also prevented this tragedy. Maybe ruin the rim in the process, probably...but weigh out the costs and what could have been prevented. My prayers go out to both families as they struggle with the circumstances they face.
Teach2read, you have taken the words right out of my mouth!!!!! Very sad about these women but if these people knew the Martins like I do (they are life long friends of mine) then they would know that the Martin family is mourning and praying harder for this family then they are for themselves. We are also praying for the Martins and for those 2 women and their families cause that is just what good people do, we dont critizise we pray:)
Sorry, but that is a load of manure you just posted. I can tell you with absolute certainty that I would NOT lie about who was driving and send my child scurrying away from the scene like a pathetic rat. That is NOT protecting your child, making them lie and run away, and it really makes me wonder how some people are raising their children. Without any values, apparently.
While an accident means it was not caused on purpose, it does NOT mean it is blame-free or that someone didn't cause it through negligence or poor judgement. This was preventable, and the father is to blame for his poor judgement in both letting the boy drive and the cowardly way he handled the aftermath. Seriously, two women lay dying, and his thoughts were apparently only consumed with saving his own skin.
Blaming the victims by suggesting maybe they weren't far enough over, or should have gone further down the road seems to be in line with your entire philosophy where personal responsibility doesn't exist. That is disgusting.
Spare me...the women are DEAD. It would not matter where or why the were on the road/ Drivers are supposed to avoid things in front of them on the highway. Blaming the women and making excuses for the driver is so very wrong headed.
Perhaps you should re-read my post. I got the part about them being dead, thank you for pointing that out once again. Just saying accidents...this was an accident...happen and could have been avoided. No ill intent caused their deaths. Not blaming, not judging...simply making observations.
An 'accident' is simply something that was not planned or purposefully done, so it means the boy wasn't an absolute monster who mowed down these women on purpose. It doesn't mean the driver isn't to blame, as an 'accident' is almost always preventable if someone didn't use poor judgement.
A regular pickup hauling horses I could see but a truck that size..have never heard of one being classified as a "farm" vehicle. I also believe that any vehicle used for "farm" use also has to be registered as a "farm" vehicle so that will be an easy thing to find out.
A truck that size..I sure wouldn't have let a teen drive it, and frm his age a teen just newly licensed if he was actually "licensed" and not on a learners permit...stick to the age laws for big rig cabs farm, commercial or otherwise.
Here is a link to the Volvo Tractor Trailer for anyone who may htink it is just a large pickup
http://wrkmachines.com/vehicleinfo/volvo/nh_12-nh_12420-2003-semi_trailer_truck-standard_tractortrailer_unit.html
the kid being on a farm probably had several years experience driving. most that i know who live on farms started driving illegally around 13 but had hardship licenses by the time they were 15. not saying he had enough experience but probably more than having just gotten his license that year.
I would say it depends on WHAT he was used to driving. Tractors, cars, pickups, even with a horse trailer attached, but something the size of a big rig cab? Most states require anyone driving a tractor trailer to be 21 (there are some exceptins but I didn't see any under the age of 18 especially driving between states).
As a horseowner who has shipped horses long distance, and guessing at the type of trailer that they would be pulling with a tractor trailer, I am guessing it was a long haul trailer which would make the cab and trailer effectively the same size as a regular semi lengthwise. Of the four man crews (never had any women), the youngest was 18 and he was there only to help with the horses, not drive. Driver and relief drivers were all over 25 and all had CDLs.
What's with all these people saying the boy shouldn't have been driving? He has a driver's license, and this isn't considered a commercial vehicle. I know 50 year old's who can't drive a car worth a crap, let alone a bigger vehicle, but the law is the law... they all get rubber stamped driver's licenses at age 16 and get to go play bumper cars on the freeway. If you want to point the finger at someone, look no further than our stupid driver's licensing system.
The internet is so easy to use - moron - go look at the tractor-trailer he was driving - IT IS A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE! You must have a CDL to drive it and no 16 year old would have one. The Dad was wrong and the kid couldn't drive.
Below is from the Denver Post report linked above. Looks like you could use a bit of help with that intertoobs thingy.
Since he was 16? He WAS/IS 16, not 17 or 18, but 16!
Whether or not the truck could "be classified as a farm vehicle," the FACT remains that it was a tractor trailer.
Because he was driving in interstate commerce, Louisiana and Colorado laws may not apply.
dfgdfg
Obviously the father was going to cover for the son, in the grand scheme, you've got to appreciate the attempt by the father to take the rap for the kid's accident. I'm sure he thought it was better for him to take the blame since the truth was not going to not make the two victims any less dead.
Father of the year candidate for sure - NOT. Of course you seem to be of the same trash.
Cityofangels1: THAT is not a candidate for father of the year. That father is teaching his son how to end up in prison. Had it not been an accident like this, it would have been something similar. A "parent" teaches their child from early on that if they make a mistake, they stop and own up to it and apologize and accept the consequences, whatever they may be. A parent who teaches their children to blame others or shift responsibility to others is setting that child on a path of unhappiness for their entire life. The child will always look for someone to blame or someone to take the rap for them until they end up destroyed.
I like the "move over" laws. It's also just polite not to drive 70 miles an hour past a pedestrian as close to them as you can. Leave as much space as possible! Make a lane change and assume that you just saved a life.
The kid won't have to worry about Rodeos any more. After Dad goes to prison, they family will get SUED for everything they have, including those horses. When stupid people make stupid decisions and others get harmed its a perfect storm for lawyers. Yeah, and take the kid's license for life.
As a professional trucker driver, I have long been an advocate for a change in the licensing laws for farm and recreational vehicles. I believe that the size of the vehicle should dictate the class of license, and the training required to obtain that license, not the "classification" of the vehicle, be it a farm vehicle or an RV. A Volvo tractor pulling a trailer is not something that shoulod be driven by a 16 y/o, no matter how mature or upstanding he may be. Vehicles of this size require a trained hand and mind to operate.
This is the second accident of this type that has hit the news recently. The other was a 17 y/o from Minnesota driving a Freightliner "RV" pulling a 28 foot trailer. He lost control due to a wind gust, spun off of an overpass, landed in a ravine, and several occupants died as a result.
It is sad that these two women died in such a preventable way. I hope that lawmakers take some sort of action to change the rules for driving large and combination vehicles that are every bit as large and long as some semi's that travel on the highway.
lynn3765Have you never seen a medium duty truck. a lot of horses are pulled bu a truck like this one (see link) I dont know what model volvo they were driving could have been like this
lynn3765 Have you ever heard of a medium duty truck trucks like this one (ck link ) are preferred by a lot of horse /rodeo ,farm folks. I don't know what they were driving but this type of truck is not a big rig requiring a a class a CDL.
I'm not sure which lane he was driving in but any time someone is parked on side of the road you should try your best to switch lanes. Be considerate of others. Too many times this happens and it's usually preventable.
This is a very unfortuante accident. However, I would like to point out that the rules of the interstate (My father was a truck driver), that when there is a vehicle on the side of the road, one should merge to the outside lane to avoid accidents such as this one. Praying for both families.
that is not a federal law; highway laws are left for the individual states. the boy should have merged to the left lane while the women should have pulled over as far as possible off the highway. both are at fault. legally, however, both the boy and his father are in the wrong.
to: don harris where did you get the idea it was a "kenworth" report says a volvo! boy some people.
I don't buy the farm vehicle bit. I'm pretty sure you have to have an air brake endorsement on your license to operate even a medium duty truck with air brakes(which I'll bet money this rig had). A 16 year old with a "personal" license won't have that. Kid had no business behind the wheel....throw the book at him and the dad. Sorry.
I agree. There is another article quoting the LA police as on record that it was not legal for him to drive this truck in his own state - he would have to be 18 AND have a commercial driver's license. He would have to be 21 to drive it out of state, according to LA law.
boy that kind of a lawsuit should be worth at least 4 trillion dollars. I wonder what lucky ambulance chaser is on this case?
This is a story about a 16 yr old and his "buddy", There was no real "parent" around at the time.
AlbertaGirl:
Uhm...striking and killing two women while he was driving is pretty much proof that he was....INCOMPETENT to command that vehicle. Duh.
Running away and then trying to cover up his crime is pretty much proof that he's a lyin', cowardly piece of crap who should't be driving a Yugo.
Driving on a farm`s ground is one thing totally different from driving on highways.