Comedian Tracy Morgan is suing Wal-Mart over an accident with a truck driver who was making a delivery for the company last month.
Morgan was critically injured in the accident, which occurred last month in New Jersey when a bus carrying his entourage was struck by a freight truck that was being operated for Wal-Mart. Another passenger in Morgan’s bus was killed in the crash.
The driver of the truck, Kevin Roper, has been charged with death by auto and four counts of assault by auto after he told police he was awake for 24 hours at the time of the crash, according to reports.
{mosads}”The defendants’ negligence was a substantial contributing factor in causing plaintiffs’ injuries,” the complaint states, according to the report.
The accident occurred as Congress was debating changes to federal regulations for truck driver scheduling rules.
At issue was an attempt by lawmakers to roll back federal requirements that drivers take time off on two consecutive nights between the hours of 1 and 5 a.m., as part of a rule that drivers wait at least 34 hours before starting a new shift.
Trucking groups argued that the rules resulted in more trucks being on the highway during daylight hours, when traffic was heavier. They added that some truckers were forced to take two days off depending on when they started the 34-hour window.
Safety groups vocally opposed the change to the trucker scheduling rules, which Obama administration officials said were intended to reduce fatigued driving.
Wal-Mart said in a statement in the immediate aftermath of the accident that it was “working quickly to understand what happened and are cooperating fully with law enforcement to aid their investigation
“This is a tragedy and we are profoundly sorry that one of our trucks was involved,” Wal-Mart President Bill Simon said in a statement in June.
“The facts are continuing to unfold,” Simon continued. “If it’s determined that our truck caused the accident, Walmart will take full responsibility.”