Police Probing Recall History Of Truck In Backhoe Crash On I-495
SOUTHBORO (CBS) - Authorities are investigating why National Grid sent a potentially dangerous truck hauling heavy equipment on a test drive that ended in a fatal crash.
State police spokesman Dave Procopio said officials are looking into whether Daimler Trucks North America had recalled the freight-liner truck that crashed on I-495 in Southboro.
National Grid workers spotted a problem with the truck and took it for a safety test run while hauling the heavy equipment.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Kim Tunnicliffe reports.
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"We'll investigate any recall history of the model in question. We'll review defect analysis databases maintained by federal agencies that regulate commercial trucking. We'll also look into the propriety of when, where and how Friday's reported safety test of that dump truck was conducted," said Procopio.
In that accident last week, the backhoe the truck was hauling tumbled off its trailer and crushed a minivan, killing Xjaoyun Jiang, an elderly Westford woman and injuring a mom and her two children.
Procopio said officials are looking at a number of contributing factors in the crash.
"Driver error, potentially. Potentially mechanical problems, as well as how the backhoe was secured to the trailer," said Procopio.
