Investigators are looking into whether the driver of a Baltimore City firetruck had stopped at a stop sign, as required by law, before the truck collided with a sport utility vehicle, killing three people.
City officials said key details surrounding the circumstances of the Sunday crash could be made available today.
“We should have preliminary answers to at least the five primary questions that have been asked about the accident,” said Sterling Clifford, a spokesman for the police department, which is investigating the crash.
Clifford declined to elaborate, but sources close to the investigation said one question centers on whether the driver of the firetruck came to a full halt at a stop sign before entering the intersection where the crash occurred.
Toxicology reports on the victims also may be made available.
The department says the fire truck was being driven by 40-year-old Nathaniel Moore, who joined the department three years ago. The others riding with him were Lt. Thomas Moore, who is no relation to the driver, Kenneth Jacobs and Darryl Alexander.The fatal crash occurred Sunday morning when fire engine No. 27, on an emergency, call slammed into the SUV at Clarks and Park Heights avenues, killing Mikhail Petrov, 35, Iryna Petrov, 49, and Igor Saub, 24.
The crash was the deadliest involving a fire vehicle in the city?s history.
“The actual full investigation by the police department traffic unit takes a month to complete because there is a lot of math,” he said.
“It is not something we can turn around quickly; however, there are some key facts that are not going to change at this point and will probably make the available tomorrow.”
Fire officials familiar with the investigation said the relative inexperience of the driver, who was on only his third call, may have factored into the crash. He was also not the regular driver for the fire company.
“You have the siren, air horns, one or two radios going. For a new guy it?s sensory overload,” said Robert Sledgeski, a fire union official.
Sledgeski, who also drives firetrucks, said coming to a complete stop for red lights and stop signs can be tricky.
“It?s difficult to come to a complete stop at every red light,” he said.
“If you?re hanging out a window waiting for firetruck, do you want [them] to complete a stop at every red light?”
WJZ-13 and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
