Truck driver, carrier face multiple charges after fatal buggy crash

by Today's Trucking

A truck driver has been charged with multiple offences after he collided with a horse-drawn buggy on Highway 17 in Ontario in December 2023, killing the driver.

Officers responded to a motor vehicle collision involving a tractor trailer that struck a horse and buggy. Both were travelling eastbound on Highway 17 in the Municipality of Huron Shores, according to an Ontario Provincial Police news release.

The 29-year-old buggy operator sustained extensive injuries and was transported to hospital by Algoma Paramedic Services. He later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased. 

justice
(Photo: iStock)

Leonard Magno, 56, from Orillia, Ont., faces numerous charges including driving while under suspension, careless driving, failing to maintain his daily log, and failing to accurately complete the pre-trip inspection report.

He was also charged with driving a commercial motor vehicle with a major and minor defect, overweight axles, insecure load, driving after 16 hours since break without eight hours off, and brake defects.

Hunt Trucking from Mulmur, Ont., faces charges that include permitting a person to drive a CMV not in accordance with the regulations, failing to monitor the driver’s compliance, and permitting the operation of a CMV with load not secured as prescribed.

None of the offences have been proven in court. The driver and carrier are scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Sault Ste. Marie on April 3.


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  • Why is this driver so desperate for work that he knowingly drivers while under suspension?
    Where is the company’s due diligence?
    How is the family to cope with such a senseless death?

    Reply

  • Wow, I can’t believe drivers still do that operate a commercial vehicle that is not safe for the road. This company needs to be fined. Also, there’s a lot of dispatchers still push push push the driver but the driver still should know better not to do it. I feel very bad for the family.

    Reply

  • This situation brings a lot of information forward that needs to be addressed. The company should be pulling abstracts regularly to see that ALL drivers are licensed, not under suspension or having points.
    The driver needs to perform a proper Pre-Trip Inspection every time, plus be shown how to properly secure the load. There is training for both. The company can watch for non-compliant behaviour by the drivers through electronic logging devices which are in full use these days. No more cheating on the hours of work.
    This is an accident that was carved out of non-compliant behaviour by both the company and the driver. If only one of them was strictly doing what they should have been doing it likely wouldn’t have resulted in a fatality.,

    Reply