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Corpus Christi, TX – July 16, 2023 – When Mario Gonzalez left his home in Alice, Texas, for the two-hour nighttime drive to San Antonio, he had no way of knowing that 18-wheelers in Texas and across the country had the dangerous practice of parking their big rigs for the night, right off of major highways on the active exit ramps leading to rest stops. These active roadways, blocked through the dark night by these silent, unlit, and nearly invisible twelve-ton walls of steel on tires, have become the newest and most deadly danger for drivers like Mr. Gonzalez, who lost his life at 2:00 am on July 14th, 2023, when his 2017 Ford F-150 plowed into the back of a darkened 18-wheeler, parked with no cones, no lights, and no markings, on the access road of a rest area off of Interstate 37, north of Corpus Christi, TX.
Nationally renowned law firm, Hilliard Law, has been retained to represent the family of Mario Gonzalez and has uncovered a troubling trend.
Attorney Bob Hilliard comments on the practice: “When 18-wheelers can’t find space to park inside a rest area, they pull their rigs onto the access road next to the rest stop and keep them there throughout the night. This is exactly what caused the recent catastrophic Greyhound bus accident in Southern Illinois, which claimed three lives and left 14 others injured.”
The Greyhound bus accident has begun to shed light on the potential dangers of semi-trucks parked on exit ramps. The incident occurred when the St. Louis-bound bus collided with three tractor-trailers parked along a highway rest area exit, resulting in devastating consequences. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has initiated an investigation into the accident to uncover the root cause and evaluate safety concerns associated with semi-trucks stopping on exit ramps. Federal regulations require drivers to pull over and have designated rest after reaching a certain number of driving hours. Drivers can face fines and consequences for violating this regulation.
Hilliard continued, “Mario had no way of knowing about this dangerous practice and very likely did not even see the back of the parked rig before he hit on the roadway.”
Hilliard Law is committed to pursuing justice on behalf of the Gonzalez family. The Texas accident remains under investigation.
About Hilliard Law:
Hilliard Law, formerly Hilliard Martinez Gonzales LLP (HMG), is a nationally renowned law firm based in Corpus Christi, TX. With a history of success in personal injury and mass tort litigation, Hilliard Law is committed to providing aggressive representation and seeking justice for its clients. Bob Hilliard, owner and founding partner, has led Hilliard Law to the forefront of national trial law firms. Having tried over 150 jury trials, Mr. Hilliard is also a two-time winner of the National Law Journal’s prestigious Elite Trial Lawyer of the Year award for product liability and motor vehicles and has been recognized as a Super Lawyer for the past 20 years. Mr. Hilliard is double board certified and recognized as one of the top 100 trial lawyers in the United States. In the past year, Hilliard Law’s 40-lawyer firm has already secured over 100 million dollars in verdicts and settlements. For more information, visit www.hilliard-law.com.
Media Contact:
Elisabeth Tabor
Office: (361) 882-1612
