Fatal Crash Investigation Finds Officials’ Tablet Open to YouTube
A Kansas City crash investigation has focused on possible driver distraction after authorities found a tablet with YouTube open inside a tractor-trailer involved in a collision that killed a mother and her two sons.
Driver Faces Manslaughter Charges
Eldar Skander, 39, faces three counts of first-degree involuntary manslaughter in connection with the crash on U.S. Highway 71 in Kansas City, according to court records and the prosecutor’s office.
Three people traveling in a minivan were killed, including two children. Three additional occupants of the minivan were transported to a hospital in critical condition. The driver of a Honda CR-V was also hospitalized in critical condition, while the driver of a Ford Explorer suffered injuries and was listed in stable condition.
Skander sustained minor injuries and was treated at a hospital before being arrested and taken into custody. Officials said he declined to participate in an interview with detectives.
Tablet Found Open to YouTube
Investigators found an electronic tablet on the floorboard of the tractor-trailer during their on-scene examination, according to the probable cause statement. Court records indicate that the YouTube application was open on the device.
Authorities said the tablet may previously have been mounted near the truck’s center console, where it would have been visible to the driver. Investigators also reported finding no indication that Skander applied the truck’s brakes before the collision.
The discovery of the tablet is part of the investigation into whether distracted driving contributed to the crash. Officials have not said that the device alone establishes what Skander was doing immediately before the collision.
Additional Electronic Evidence Collected
Investigators also identified a dashcam in the truck’s cab that may have captured the crash. Search warrants were issued for the dashcam, the recovered tablet and Skander’s personal cell phone.
The investigation remains focused on reconstructing the events leading up to the collision and determining the role, if any, that the electronic devices played.
