A service member recently died while traveling home after Hurricane Isaac relief efforts in Louisiana. The soldier was traveling in a military convoy heading towards Shreveport when the Humvee he was driving was struck from behind by an 18-wheeler. The soldier was pronounced dead at the scene of the truck accident.

The soldier was driving the last vehicle in the convoy and traveling approximately 55 mph. The Humvee was rear-ended by a tractor trailer, causing the vehicle to overturn and land in the median. The impact of the truck accident also caused the big rig to veer into the median. The truck driver did not sustain injuries in the crash.

In addition, another soldier who was a passenger in the Humvee was injured and transported to a local hospital. His current condition is unknown. Investigators believe the trucker was traveling at a higher rate of speed than the military convoy. Toxicology samples were taken, and criminal charges are pending against the trucker. Police issued a statement about the truck accident and stated that state troopers and Louisiana National Guardsman have come together to respond to a range of incidents within their state, and that their prayers are with the affected families.

There has been no word as of yet on the causal factors behind this truck accident, but the accident report will likely detail the investigator's findings. The soldier's family could choose to pursue legal action against the truck driver for his role in their loved one's death, and information gleaned from the investigation report may aid them in that process. Criminal charges are pending against the trucker, but it does not absolve him of civil responsibility for his role in this crash.

Source: WLOX 13, "Guardsman dies in crash while returning from Isaac relief effort," Joshua Auzenne, Sept. 12, 2012