A tractor-trailer driver who caused a fatal crash that resulted in the deaths of five people by being distracted by social media videos has been sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison. Maricopa County prosecutors announced that Danny Glen Tiner, 38, entered a guilty plea to five counts of negligent homicide. The incident took place in January 2023 on Interstate 10 in Chandler, a suburb of Phoenix.
Reports indicated that Tiner was driving at 68 mph (109 kph) in a 55-mph (89-kph) construction zone when the collision occurred. Investigations by Arizona Department of Public Safety revealed that Tiner had been watching at least four social media videos on his cellphone just before he failed to notice the stopped traffic ahead, leading to the tragic crash.
According to authorities, the tractor-trailer collided with two cars, which were then pushed into another semi-truck and two additional vehicles. The impact caused the vehicles squeezed between the semi-trucks to ignite into flames. Tiner was apprehended in June 2023 following an inquiry that determined his culpability in the deadly accident.
Tragically, among the victims were four men who were commuting together to their landscaping job. The Arizona Department of Public Safety’s investigation ultimately connected Tiner’s actions to the devastating crash that claimed the lives of five individuals.