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Man accused of causing accident that killed 4 fails to appear in court

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By Valerie Lough, Staff Writer Updated 9:19 AM Friday, August 6, 2010

SPRINGFIELD — A judge postponed a hearing Thursday, Aug. 5, for a truck driver accused of causing an accident that killed four people, including three who were mentally ill, in January.

Visiting Judge Catherine Barber rescheduled the hearing because defendant Zygmunt Wieckowski, 59, of Chicago, was not aware of his court appearance as a result of a language barrier, his attorney said.

Wieckowski is charged with four counts of vehicular manslaughter, failure to control and speeding — all misdemeanors — in connection to the Jan. 7 crash . He is accused in the deaths of Traci Williams, 42; Lonnie E. Acton, 27; Alonzo Ruffin, 36; and Kenny Fry, 61.

Wieckowski, who is Russian and speaks English as a second language, didn’t understand a phone message instructing him to be in court, said defense attorney Patrick Mulligan.

The defendant was expected to enter a no contest plea to all four charges, said Springfield City Prosecutor Michael Sheils.

Danielle Thompson was one of the six passengers injured in the crash. She said she was frustrated that Wieckowski wasn’t in court Thursday.

“I feel like he should have been there,” said Thompson. “Four people are dead now.”

Thompson, who sustained leg, hip and internal injuries in the crash, said she is still in therapy and unable to work.

The collision happened as the four victims were eastbound on Interstate 70 near U.S. Route 40 when the westbound semi-tanker truck driven by Wieckowski went out of control across an icy median and into oncoming traffic.

Investigators believe Wieckowski was driving too fast — 57 m.p.h. — for the slick road conditions, according to court documents.

If given the maximum sentence on all counts, Wieckowski could spend a year in the Clark Count jail because the charges are misdemeanors.

The hearing was rescheduled for Aug. 18 at 1 p.m. in Clark County Municipal Judge Denise Moody’s courtroom.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0360 or vlough@coxohio.com.

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