KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI — A 39-year-old Chicago man has been charged with three counts of involuntary manslaughter after a tractor-trailer slammed into stopped rush-hour traffic on U.S. Highway 71 on Monday, November 9, killing a mother and her two young sons. Investigators found a tablet with the YouTube app open inside the truck.
Eldar Skander is accused in the deaths of Olga Sorbalo, 35, and her sons Luis and Samir, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson. Charging documents say Kansas City police were called around 3:20 p.m. to East 19th Street and US 71 for a crash involving a tractor-trailer and several other vehicles. KMBC put the time at about 3:15 p.m.
The Crash
Court records allege Skander was driving a white Volvo semi tractor north at a high rate of speed and failed to slow or stop for congested traffic. The semi hit a black Honda Odyssey carrying the Sorbalos, setting off a chain reaction. The Odyssey then struck a blue Honda CR-V, a black Ford Explorer, and a white mail truck. Charging documents say the semi showed no signs of emergency braking. The northbound lanes were closed for hours.
Luis and Samir were pronounced dead at the scene. Olga was critically injured and died at a hospital. Her husband, Liviu, and the couple’s baby were taken to the hospital with critical injuries. Six other people were taken to a hospital with serious injuries. Skander had minor injuries, was treated at a hospital, and was then taken to the Jackson County jail.
Reports differ on the boys’ ages. FOX4 gave them as 9 and 6, while KMBC, citing family, gave 8 and 4.
The Evidence
Investigators found an electronic tablet on the floorboard of the truck with the YouTube app open. Velcro on its back could have let it stick to the dash while he drove. KMBC reported the tablet held the truck’s driving log. Dash camera video was also recovered from the cab.
Investigators’ preliminary calculations show that had Skander been driving the speed limit, he would have had about 22 seconds of visual sight to stop for traffic.
Skander is held in the Jackson County jail on a $150,000 cash-only bond.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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