Truck Owner Pleads Guilty to Vehicular Manslaughter for Fatal Accident

In January, a tractor-trailer truck with defective brakes rear-ended an Infiniti, killing the driver and injuring the passenger inside the car.

On Tuesday, the part owner of the truck pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide, a felony offense punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine. 

In court, Victor M. Kalinitchii said he was "grossly negligent" in the fatal truck accident. In addition to vehicular homicide charges, Kalinitchii also pleaded guilty to knowingly putting a vehicle on the road with defective brakes, as well as with brake drum lines too thin for safe operation.  Those two offenses each carry a 90-day jail sentence.

According to police reports, the Infiniti was stopped in the passing lane due to heavy traffic when the truck crashed into the back of it.  An expert mechanic later testified that all 10 brakes failed because they were so overworked and cracked that the brake drums were close to rupturing.

Charges were filed after a police investigation revealed the truck had never been inspected, despite that fact that it bore an inspection sticker. It was later discovered that the truck owners had purchased the sticker from a garage in Philadelphia. 

In addition to Kalinitchii, vehicular homicide charges were also filed against the mechanic who passed the truck without inspecting it, as well as the other owner of the truck.  The mechanic and the part owner have also pleaded guilty.

All three defendants will be sentenced in about 90 days, once a pre-sentencing investigation has been completed.

If you have been accused of vehicular homicide or a related crime, click here to find a criminal defense lawyer in your state!