Truck driver charged

    • 1161 posts
    April 7, 2010 2:03 PM PDT
    Ok,  I have held my thoughts long enough about this subject.  As a CDL holder it is the Truck Drivers responseability for his safety and others infront of the Truck.  And his Duty to keep an Eye out for others around him at ALL TIMES

    This also brings in a question for the Company he was driving for because they are sopose to do Random drug tests.  And also make sure their driver is not under ANY substances while driving that could inhibit his ability to operate the truck safely.

    Personally, I would like to give the Families the dump truck driver for 5 minutes each alone,  but that is just me like it is said an eye for an eye.
     
    But I know im gonna get crap for this and may lose friends because of this then so be it.nI Feel Sick that people had to lose there life because of some one not doing there job correctly.

      Ok i'll get of my Soap box now.

    As for the Families my thoughts and Prayers out to you and your loved ones lost in this tragedy.

    RIP Lost Loved Ones,  May you ride with the Big man on his Special Highway in the Sky.
  • April 8, 2010 12:20 AM PDT
    Forgive me for not being one of the Sheeple and falling in line all the time, when I read a story I look for the facts. When they don't add up I look elsewhere and have done so searching many for them. In this case none of what I have found make any sense as of yet, there's plenty of story writers adding rumors to sell papers but nothing explaining this unbelievable accident yet.

    I'm not defending or condemning anyone, I'm neutral like Fox News until the officials print some facts to convince me one way or the other. In my opinion officials are holding back the reason this accident happened from us to protect someone or something, I am merely digging away in an attempt to find the truth behind it.

    The only facts I see to date is the driver spent hours with several professional trained Homicide Investigators and they saw no reason to arrest him at the time, if he was intoxicated or showed any signs of guilt they would have cuffed him on the spot. What he may or may not have done a day, week, month or five years before has absolutely nothing to do with this accident.
    • Moderator
    • 19067 posts
    April 8, 2010 1:24 AM PDT
    Flatlander wrote...


    ...The only facts I see to date is the driver spent hours with several professional trained Homicide Investigators and they saw no reason to arrest him at the time, if he was intoxicated or showed any signs of guilt they would have cuffed him on the spot. What he may or may not have done a day, week, month or five years before has absolutely nothing to do with this accident.


    I do not think it was reason to arrest, but leagle cause.
    Some laws and situations require a high burden of proof. Plus all of the i's have to be dotted and t's crossed or the guilty can walk on a technicality.

    Although not shown as FACT it surely looks like I can make a judgment that the police have showed great restraint and dilligence in arresting this GUILTY person!!!!!!


    My judgement does not convict, that is up to the courts, but it is MY VALID OPINION!

    BTW Although I do not like to see bikers in jail,  I hope (for ironic justice sake) there are a few bikers in the same prision this driver spends time in

  • April 8, 2010 1:43 AM PDT
    RexTheRoadDog wrote...
    Flatlander wrote...


    ...The only facts I see to date is the driver spent hours with several professional trained Homicide Investigators and they saw no reason to arrest him at the time, if he was intoxicated or showed any signs of guilt they would have cuffed him on the spot. What he may or may not have done a day, week, month or five years before has absolutely nothing to do with this accident.


    I do not think it was reason to arrest, but leagle cause.
    Some laws and situations require a high burden of proof. Plus all of the i's have to be dotted and t's crossed or the guilty can walk on a technicality.

    Although not shown as FACT it surely looks like I can make a judgment that the police have showed great restraint and dilligence in arresting this GUILTY person!!!!!!


    My judgement does not convict, that is up to the courts, but it is MY VALID OPINION!

    BTW Although I do not like to see bikers in jail,  I hope (for ironic justice sake) there are a few bikers in the same prision this driver spends time in
    .......................................................................................
    One of the local papers quoted a statement of sympathy from his X-Wife, a Biker, to me that makes HIM a Biker too, an important fact overlooked by everyone and all the other papers.......
     
    Had this happened in Florida the F.H.P. would have been in charge and released a statement as to the cause of the accident based on facts and evidence. I guess Arizona does things different than here.
     

    • 1 posts
    April 8, 2010 1:56 AM PDT
    RexTheRoadDog wrote...
    Flatlander wrote...


    ...The only facts I see to date is the driver spent hours with several professional trained Homicide Investigators and they saw no reason to arrest him at the time, if he was intoxicated or showed any signs of guilt they would have cuffed him on the spot. What he may or may not have done a day, week, month or five years before has absolutely nothing to do with this accident.


    I do not think it was reason to arrest, but leagle cause.
    Some laws and situations require a high burden of proof. Plus all of the i's have to be dotted and t's crossed or the guilty can walk on a technicality.

    Although not shown as FACT it surely looks like I can make a judgment that the police have showed great restraint and dilligence in arresting this GUILTY person!!!!!!


    My judgement does not convict, that is up to the courts, but it is MY VALID OPINION!

    BTW Although I do not like to see bikers in jail,  I hope (for ironic justice sake) there are a few bikers in the same prision this driver spends time in

     
    It's out of our hands now.  Bikers have friends EVERYWHERE.      Let the chips fall where they may.
  • April 8, 2010 2:39 AM PDT
    Bond for driver in fatal motorcycle crash set at $1 million

    by Jessica Testa - Apr. 7, 2010 09:45 AM
    The Arizona Republic

    Court documents released Wednesday indicate Michael Jakscht's methamphetamine use might not have been an isolated incident. Police suspect Jakscht was an addict, according to the documents. At the scene, Jakscht had a high pulse rate and dilated pupils. He couldn't remain balanced and performed poorly on the walk and turn test.

    There was no evidence Jakscht attempted to brake before slamming into the drivers and motorcyclists, according to the documents. Three of the six brakes on the truck were also out of adjustment.

    Blue Sky Sanitation, the company whose truck Jakscht was driving, could not be reached for comment.

    www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/04/07/20100407bond-set-truck-driver-motorcycle-crash-phoenix-abrk.html  />
    ................................

    Finally, some facts. Had this happened here he would have been cuffed and arrested at the scene of the accident.

    Case Closed.......

  • April 8, 2010 3:19 AM PDT
    Believe me, I was deeply effected by this tragic loss of life. 100% preventable. For anyone who can say that they have NEVER operated a motor vehicle under the influence or have not exceeded speed limits or texted or talked on the cell while driving or shuffled papers or grabbed for things that took your eyes off the road.... God Bless You. If anyone thinks that they are free from causing an MVC that could kill...well, more power to ya. I am furious with the trucking industry. It is up to consumers to demand safety standards. CDL holders...well. we have more training. Yeah...like I haven't come across bad drivers who hold CDLs. The states issue the GD licenses. The trucking companies don't hold a high regard for human and traffic safety and no one makes them accountable at a level that they need to be. The almighty dollar is greater than human life. It makes me sick.

    Adolescents ! are not being properly trained and tested. The criteria to hold a license and drive is ridiculous!!!!! License to operate a lethal weapon, like it's nothing. Hell. and people bitch about gun laws saying they are too dangerous...

  • April 8, 2010 3:28 AM PDT
    First thing I noticed is the guys name is JackShit..... WTF????
  • April 8, 2010 4:41 PM PDT
    Flatlander wrote...
    Since the truck drivers x-wife is a motorcycle enthusiest I guess that makes him a Biker too, lord knows No Bikers ever do meth. or ride intoxicated just a little bit. There's alot of folks on the road doing meth. I find it hard to believe thats the cause of the accident though. There's got to be alot more to this story than this.

    Very intresting flatlander...I'm wondering how many days this truck driver had been up from doing meth...we had a family killed here in Oregon from a driver that had been up 6 days under the influence of meth n finally crashed, and when he crashed, it was in his moving car which in turn plowed into a mother and children killing all...SO.........I'm thinking the meth played a major role in this Unfortunate happening

    However my thoughts n prayres go out to all this affected.....

    Respectfully...RandyJoe...Ride Strong

    • 2072 posts
    April 9, 2010 1:31 AM PDT
    http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/04/07/20100407bond-set-truck-driver-motorcycle-crash-phoenix-abrk.html Bond for driver in fatal motorcycle crash set at $1 million by Jessica Testa - Apr. 7, 2010 09:45 AM The Arizona Republic A million-dollar bond has been set for the man who is suspected of losing control of his 24,000-pound dump truck on March 25 while under the influence of methamphetamine, slamming into 10 motorcycles and three vehicles, killing four and sending five to the hospital.

    The motorcyclists and vehicles were stopped at a red light at 27th Drive and Carefree Highway when Jakscht, 46, plowed into them.

    Court documents released Wednesday indicate Michael Jakscht's methamphetamine use might not have been an isolated incident. Police suspect Jakscht was an addict, according to the documents. At the scene, Jakscht had a high pulse rate and dilated pupils. He couldn't remain balanced and performed poorly on the walk and turn test.

    Police also believed Jakscht would flee if he was released. The documents noted Jakscht is unmarried, has changed his physical characteristics and does not have a job or own a home locally.

    There was no evidence Jakscht attempted to brake before slamming into the drivers and motorcyclists, according to the documents. Three of the six brakes on the truck were also out of adjustment.

    Blue Sky Sanitation, the company whose truck Jakscht was driving, could not be reached for comment.

    Jakscht could face four counts of manslaughter, five counts of aggravated assault and seven counts of endangerment.
  • April 9, 2010 1:52 AM PDT
    hambone wrote...
    First thing I noticed is the guys name is JackShit..... WTF????

    got that right. lol
  • April 9, 2010 5:25 AM PDT
    Lost control.......HE NEVER HAD CONTROL!!!!!!! Only other people, not our falllen angels, got lucky.

    If I lived in AZ, i would be standing outside Blue Sky Sanitation with the biggest billboard I could hold stating DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY. a BULLHORN WOULD BE HANDY TOO.

    Jackshit had a responsibility. That company, with safety protocols and procedures in place could have at least kept him out of their truck. Jackshit was handed the weapon with power to kill and mame and scar forever.

    This IS unacceptable!
  • April 9, 2010 6:47 AM PDT
    So ~ violations include 'Drug use' ~ busted... failure to perform pre-trip inspection ~ busted
    Company performing random drug tests? Maybe not ~ busted. Adequate inspection and documentation of vehicle? Maybe not ~ busted.
    Bottom line ~ serious violations of Federal CDL policies and loss of lives. No excuse. Unfortunately, no matter how we deliberate it ~ it won't bring them back. Prayers for families and friends grieving for their loss ~ all of our loss.
  • April 9, 2010 7:51 AM PDT
    Greg, you are so right- nothing can bring them back and we have to keep the grieving survivors, friends and families in our prayers. This is just a horrible example of what happens more than we realize. Licensed drivers, CDL, or not, do not take wielding a weapon of steel seriously enough and neither does this country. WE make up this country. I apologize if i am a pain in the ....
    I am trying to honor the victims in my own small way. I am so deeply touched by this Cyclefish family and the wonderful spirit that this site has generated. There is alot of heart here.
  • April 9, 2010 8:22 AM PDT
    No apologies needed, Inga ~ and you are right ~ there is a lot of heart and spirit of kindred-ship we all share.
  • April 9, 2010 10:04 AM PDT
    This ain't even started yet, it's gonna get messy playing the blame games at trial, still alot of things to happen.
    • 1066 posts
    April 9, 2010 12:23 PM PDT
    Has anyone heard about the conditions of our surviving brothers ? As upset and bummed out as we all are about our fallen brothers and sister, lets focus thoughts and prayers on the injured as well. Media coverage on things like this tend to slack off after initial impact of a story. In a small town like mine, we don't get any coverage in the newspaper. Anything i have heard, i have picked up on CF.
    • 834 posts
    August 28, 2011 4:15 PM PDT

    Update on the driver that caused this horrible tragedy...


    The man accused of hitting a group of motorcyclists and killing four of them last year returned to court Friday (8/26/2011).

    Last week a judge declared a mistrial in the case but today heard arguments to release Michael Jakscht.

    It was a very emotional day as family members of those killed spoke before the judge begging him not to release Michael Jakscht saying he still poses a risk to the community.

    "He is out in jail and has the freedom to do something, my daughter bless her heart is sitting in my bedroom in an urn waiting for this to all be over with so I can put her to rest.  Please do not let him out," said Barbara Rich whose daughter died in the crash.

    "To let someone out on the streets who did what he did is a crime. He committed a crime.  He was high, he did drugs, he should not be out there to hurt my family any more, your family, anyone else's family," argued Lorri Lizarraga.  Lizarraga's husband was injured in the 2010 crash.

    Jakschts attorneys argued that the million dollar bond originally placed on their client's release was far too high.  They claimed that the evidence against him was not enough so far to convince a jury he was guilty of manslaughter and he deserved a chance to get out of jail until his new trial begins.

    However the judge said the charges against him did warrant the million dollar bond and he felt that since Jackscht does not have a job, a place to live, or family in the state he could pose a flight risk.

    After court his attorney called the ruling unfortunate.  "He is disappointed obviously he wanted to be released.  He was hoping that he would be released, but he will have to stay in and we will have to try the case as quickly as we can to get the best result," explained Robin Varco.

    Jakscht is still facing 13 counts including manslaughter and aggravated assault after a dump truck he was driving ran over a group of motorcyclists killing four people and severely injuring 5 others.  Investigators claim Jakscht was high in meth at the time.  He claims it was faulty brakes that caused the crash.

    Attorneys will be back before the judge on Monday when they will work to set a date for the new trial.

  • August 29, 2011 4:41 AM PDT
    Finally seems like a judge has used some common sense in a case by keeping the defendant's bail at 1 million, this idiot is looking at some serious prison time and with no apparent ties to the local area he is an obvious flight risk.