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TRUXTON, N.Y. (AP) - The driver of a tractor-trailer involved in an accident that killed seven people in upstate New York won't face any charges.
The Cortland County Sheriff's Office said Friday that Ryan Dorward did all the required safety checks before starting a trip that ended when the trailer broke free and smashed into a minivan carrying eight people in the town of Truxton on May 29. The trailer was hauling scrapped cars.
Investigators say the wreck was caused by a failure in the fifth wheel, an automatic locking device meant to secure the tractor-trailer coupling. They say a bent part that sheared off and led to the separation would've been difficult to spot during routine safety checks.
State transportation officials say the truck had a valid inspection record.
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