PHOENIX (AZFamily) — A truck driver has been sentenced to more than 22 years in prison for a crash that killed five people on I-10 near Chandler early last year.
The collision occurred on January 12, 2023 at around 6:15 a.m. on I-10 near Chandler Boulevard.
GPS data showed that the driver of a semi-truck, 38-year-old Danny Glen Tiner, was traveling at 68 mph in a 55 mph construction zone. He was also reportedly using TikTok on his phone when he crashed into two cars, pushing them into another semi-truck and two more cars.
The two cars squeezed between the semi-trailers caught fire, killing five people.
“This road is a straight road. You can see for miles and the traffic wasn’t so heavy at the time that you couldn’t see ahead. Plus, it was dark when it happened, so you had brake lights that you should have been able to see for quite some time,” said DPS Captain Keith Gephert when the accident happened.
The motorway was closed for about eleven hours that day.
Tiner was arrested about five months after the accident.
Tiner initially said he received a message on his work tablet and “acknowledged the message,” according to DPS. He said when he looked up again, traffic was stopped and he was unable to stop in time. However, digital forensics data showed that while driving, he accessed at least four TikTok videos within seconds of the collision.
“As a driver, you have a duty to pay attention to the road. Choosing to access social media while driving and risking the lives of others is reckless,” said Maricopa County District Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “Five families are experiencing the pain of losing a loved one. While the legal system can never ease that pain, it can hold those responsible accountable. We have achieved that goal.”
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