Testimony ends in homicide by vehicle case
Testimony concluded in Greene County Court in the homicide by vehicle case against an Alabama truck driver who killed two men from Michigan in a fiery crash on Interstate 79 last year. Testimony in the non-jury trial of David T. Elrod, 42, of Crossville, Ala., ended Tuesday and the case is now in the hands of Judge Farley Toothman, who said he would return a verdict within seven days, according to Greene County District Attorney Marjorie J. Fox. State police charged Elrod in the deaths of David Wimert and Terry Carryl on April 15, 2008.
Police testified that Elrod’s tractor-trailer rear-ended a Ford Ranger that Wimert and Carryl were in and pushed it into another tractor-trailer driven by John Venable of Florida.
There was no evidence of braking or evasive maneuvers prior to impact, according to police.
Forensic pathologist Dr. Cyril Wecht testified that Wimert and Carryl died from injuries and not as a result of the fire that erupted after the collision, Fox said.
Elrod faces two counts of homicide by vehicle and five summary Vehicle Code violations.