Justice Served in 2016 Palm Springs Crash

Sep 02,2019

A 2016 tragedy has finally come to close with the trial of Bruce Guilford, a former truck driver who has been handed a prison sentence of four years following a tragic collision which resulted in the deaths of 13 individuals. Guilford plead guilty to 42 individual charges of reckless driving and manslaughter as part of his trial.

According to authorities, Guilford fell asleep while driving on Interstate 10 close to Palm Springs. The accident occurred while Guilford was sleeping in what initially was a severe traffic delay. As the traffic began to dissolve, Guilford did not resume driving. A tour bus driving behind Guilford was unable to stop in time and slammed into the back of truck at a speed of 76 mph. The bus driver and 12 passengers were killed, while an additional 29 people were injured.

The Dangers of Driving Sleepy

Although Guilford emerged from the accident relatively unscathed, authorities were able to determine quickly that he had maintained falsified logs which skewed the total number of hours he had been driving. Combined with a significant lack of sleep, Guilford was unable to remain awake during this final, tragic outing.

Although state prosecutors had initially asked for a sentence of over 32 years, the judge declined to honor this request. That being said, Guilford will begin serving his punishment immediately.

Situations such as these remind us just how important it is to get the appropriate amount of sleep before driving. In nearly all situations, driving tired can be just as dangerous as driving drunk. With that in mind, Palm Springs drivers, as well as drivers in other cities around the world, should always exercise caution when driving through urban areas.

Our firm has been handling personal injury cases throughout the California Low Desert and High Desert communities for over 30 years. With a 95% success rate, the personal injury attorneys at Walter Clark Legal Group will fight to hold those responsible for your loss accountable and win compensation to cover medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. If you have been injured in an accident and want to discuss your legal options, contact us today for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer. We have offices in Indio, Rancho Mirage, Victorville, and Yucca Valley and represent clients through the entire California Low Desert and High Desert communities.

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DISCLAIMER: The Walter Clark Legal Group blog is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended as legal or medical advice. References to laws are based on general legal practices and vary by location. Information reported comes from secondary news sources. We do handle these types of cases, but whether or not the individuals and/or loved ones involved in these accidents choose to be represented by a law firm is a personal choice we respect. Should you find any of the information incorrect, we welcome you to contact us with corrections.