Vehicle Safety News

March 3, 2006

Washington Post, "Jury Awards Family $8 Million in Death; Oakton High Student One of Two Killed by Trucker Who Fell Asleep"

A Fairfax County jury awarded $8 million yesterday to the family of an Oakton High School student who was killed in 2002 when a truck driver fell asleep behind the wheel and crushed the car the teenager was riding in. David Chu, 17, and Jacob Wilens, 16, had just finished their first day of school at Oakton, and Wilens was driving them home on Route 50 about 2:45 p.m. Sept. 3, 2002, when they stopped at a stoplight at Alder Woods Drive. Dwayne Mongold, then 34, was a truck driver for Danella Construction Corp. heading to his home in West Virginia after a day of laying cable in the District. According to court records, Mongold told police he nodded off once as he drove west on Route 50 but kept driving the truck and trailer, with a combined weight of more than 34,000 pounds.

During the three-day trial, witnesses testified that Mongold's truck smashed into the Nissan Altima without braking. The Altima was driven into another car and then crushed by Mongold's truck, police said. The Chu family's attorney, Gregory L. Murphy, said Mongold did not wake up until after the crash. Mongold told police he last remembered passing a gas station nearly three-quarters of a mile away, Murphy said. Chu and Wilens were killed instantly. Both were honor students, varsity swimmers and musicians.