CHANDLER, Ariz. — The driver of a tractor-trailer is facing manslaughter charges for his involvement in a fiery six-vehicle crash in January that left five people dead.
The crash occurred just after 6 a.m. on Jan. 12 on Interstate 10 near Chandler Boulevard, according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
At the time of the collision, I-10 was closed at Wild Horse Pass Boulevard due to an earlier crash involving multiple semi-trucks.
The driver of the at-fault tractor-trailer, identified as 36-year-old Danny G. Tiner, said he received a message on his electronic work tablet and acknowledged the message, according to DPS. Tiner said when he looked back up traffic was stopped, and he could not stop his vehicle in time to avoid a collision.
Troopers said the tractor-trailer crashed into two passenger vehicles going full speed. The impact caused the two passenger vehicles to be pushed into the back end of another semi-truck in front of them, sandwiching and destroying both cars.
All five fatalities were people who were in the two passenger vehicles, DPS said.
The investigation revealed Tiner was traveling 68 mph in the posted 55-mph construction zone and was actively using TikTok on his cellphone at the time of the collision, DPS said.
It took firefighters about four hours to put out the flames.
Tiner was notified of an investigation and turned his cellphone over to law enforcement. Investigators conducted a forensic examination of Tiner’s cell phone with assistance from the FBI.
Based on the results of the investigation, AZDPS troopers and detectives arrested Tiner at his residence on Thursday. Tiner was booked into jail on charges including:
- 5 counts of manslaughter
- 4 counts of endangerment,
- 1 count of tampering with physical evidence
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