$150 Million in Lawsuits Filed Over Fatal I-35 Crash in Austin That Killed 5 and Injured Dozens

0
9K


Two major lawsuits, including one seeking over $100 million in damages, have been filed in connection to a deadly 18-vehicle crash on Interstate 35 in North Austin that killed five people and left at least a dozen others injured.

One of the lawsuits was filed by Nathan Jonard, a survivor of the March 13 crash, who alleges that driver negligence and corporate irresponsibility led to the massive collision. In a civil suit filed Thursday in Travis County, Jonard claims that Solomun Weldekeal Araya, the driver of a tractor-trailer involved in the crash, failed to brake in time and slammed into vehicles slowed down by construction-related lane closures near Parmer Lane.

 

Jonard is suing Amazon Logistics, ZBN Transport, and Araya for over $100 million, citing severe injuries including multiple broken bones, a dissected neck artery, a herniated disc, and deep lacerations.

In a separate lawsuit, the family of 78-year-old Maria Concepcion Joaquin de Joaquin, one of the victims who died in the crash, filed a $50 million wrongful death suit in Dallas County. According to their attorney, Domingo Garcia, Joaquin was the mother of 11 children and grandmother to 40.

“We cannot allow innocent families to continue being slaughtered on Texas highways because commercial drivers are operating 80,000-pound rigs while impaired, speeding, or well past their legal driving limits,” Garcia said in a statement. “This bloodshed on our highways must end.”

Authorities say Araya, 37, was driving a semi-truck owned or leased by ZBN Transport and/or Amazon Logistics and was hauling a load for Amazon at the time of the crash. He has been charged with five counts of intoxication manslaughter and two counts of intoxication assault. According to court documents, Araya had been employed by ZBN Transport for only four months before the incident.

The crash occurred around 11:20 p.m. when traffic had slowed due to a resurfacing project. Jonard, who was stopped in the congested traffic, said in the suit that he lost consciousness upon impact and awoke in excruciating pain, bleeding from his head and legs.

Amazon spokesperson Maureen Lynch Vogel called the crash “a horrible tragedy” and emphasized that all long-haul drivers for Amazon are independent contractors. ZBN Transport, based in Dallas, did not respond to requests for comment.

Both lawsuits seek accountability from the companies and individuals involved, and they highlight growing concerns over highway safety, especially involving commercial drivers.



Search
Sponsored
Categories
Read More
Trucking News
Check out this list of the top 15 truck stops in the U.S.
A list of the best truck stops in America was recently released by Hale Trailer.  ...
By MEGA MISTAKES 2022-07-14 13:53:32 0 15K
Trucking News
Suspect Crashes Head-On Into 18-Wheeler in Apparent Suicide Attempt After Killing Man in Dyer County Shooting
DYER COUNTY, TENNESSEE — A suspect shot two men Thursday morning in Dyer County, killing...
By Truck Drivers Life 2025-12-18 19:03:05 0 1K
Trucking News
President Orders New Enforcement of Rules for America's Truck Drivers: English Proficiency Now Mandatory
On April 28, 2025, the President of the United States signed a new executive order aimed at...
By Truck Drivers Life 2025-04-28 23:50:14 0 5K
Trucking News
Affidavit: Trucker Watching Anime Before Fatal Crash That Killed Turnpike Worker
OTTAWA COUNTY, Oklahoma — A newly filed affidavit reveals that a semi-truck driver charged...
By Truck Drivers Life 2025-10-31 15:26:18 0 2K
Trucking News
Some drivers could learn a thing or two from this fourth-generation future trucker’s pre-trip
A tiny trucker in the making shows us how a pre-trip is done in this adorable video. ...
By Truck Drivers Life 2022-02-01 23:40:55 0 14K
News | Truck Drivers Life | Social Network for Truck Drivers https://www.truckdrivers.life