Questions linger about truck driver's visibility issues in fatal I-55 crash

ELWOOD, Ill. (WLS) -- Francisco Espinal-Quiroz, the trucker involved in the fatal I-55 crash last month, has been charged with a couple of felonies, but mainly those related to fraudulent driver log books rather than the crash itself - though more serious charges could come.

Five people were killed when prosecutors say Espinal-Quiroz allegedly changed lanes abruptly and hit several vehicles stopped in a construction zone around 2:30 p.m. on July 21 near Arsenal Road.

When Espinal-Quiroz had his mugshot taken, he was not wearing glasses. But he does wear them to correct for what prosecutors have said is a visual disability that may have been a factor in the fatal accident three weeks ago.

According to several sources, Espinal-Quiroz has significantly limited vision in one eye. That doesn't preclude him from driving a truck, but he must be granted a variance on his commercial driver's license, and sources say his variance was not current.

"We're not going to be commenting on that," said Sarah Toney, an attorney for Espinal-Quiroz.

His attorneys declined investigation-specific questions Tuesday, but did relay a message of sympathy from their client.

"Our sincere condolences go out to the friends and family who lost loved ones in this tragic accident," Toney said. "The investigation is still ongoing on both sides."

Espinal-Quiroz was back in court Tuesday and entered a not guilty plea to charges that he failed to keep a logbook of his work hours and lied about the hours he worked on the day of the crash.

Prosecutors say Espinal-Quiroz was allegedly speeding in a construction zone, made an abrupt, last-minute lane change and plowed into the accident cars ahead of him without applying his brakes.

Seven days after the crash, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration demanded to see the records of Espinal-Quiroz's one-man trucking firm. Investigators were denied access, so Espinal Trucking's operating authority has been suspended. Espinal-Quiroz remains in jail on $1 million bond.

Blood and alcohol tests and accident reconstruction reports are not yet complete, and prosecutors are not elaborating on their earlier remarks about the driver's vision possibly being a factor in the crash. Some of the blanks may be filled in when Espinal-Quiroz returns to court Sept. 9.

Meanwhile, construction in the zone where the accident occurred is about to come to a conclusion. Work on the I-55 bridge decks near Arsenal Road should end ahead of Labor Day.