Truck driver fined $400 for fatal accident at truck stop

A 43-year-old truck driver from Nyaradza, Gokwe, has been fined US$400 or, alternatively, sentenced to six months in prison after he accidentally ran over and killed a man who had fallen asleep beneath his parked truck.

Tavonga Ticharwa was convicted of culpable homicide when he appeared before Hwange provincial magistrate Ms Rumbidzai Kabasa, and pleaded guilty to the charge.

The tragic incident occurred on the night of November 29, 2023, at around 10PM, according to court testimony by prosecutor Mr Wisdom Shava.

Ticharwa had parked his Freightliner truck, which was hauling 30 tonnes of coal from Victoria Falls to Bulawayo, at the Hwange Truck Stop for a scheduled rest break. He stepped out of the vehicle to relieve himself and was unaware that an unidentified man had crawled under the truck and fallen asleep.

Upon returning, Ticharwa restarted the engine and drove off - without checking beneath the vehicle. Moments later, he heard a man scream and immediately stopped the truck. The man had already succumbed to injuries and died on the spot.

Ticharwa promptly reported the incident to the police. The deceased's body was ferried to the Hwange Colliery Hospital mortuary, and a post-mortem examination was later conducted at United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH).

During sentencing, the State argued that although the death was accidental, Ticharwa's failure to inspect the area under the vehicle before driving off constituted negligence.

"This was a tragic and avoidable loss of life caused by a moment of carelessness," said Mr Shava in his closing remarks.

The incident has highlighted the dangers present at busy truck stops, where vulnerable individuals - often seeking warmth or rest - sometimes shelter under parked vehicles. Authorities have urged truck drivers to remain vigilant and conduct thorough safety checks before resuming their journeys.