|
Opinion
Driver
charged in death at port has a long record
February
23, 2005
One
of the hardest things a parent has to face is the death of a
son or daughter. Bill Hughes of Greenwood had to face that
awful experience recently. His son died when he was run over
by a truck at a shipping terminal in Charleston. His tragic
death was bad enough, but considering the record of the man
who was driving the truck makes it that much worse.
William
E. “Bill” Hughes Jr., 42, of Mount Pleasant, was a stevedore
supervisor at the terminal when a truck driven by Archie
Porcher hit him. Porcher has been charged with reckless
homicide. According to reports, he was supposed to be
proceeding straight after a shipping container had been
removed from his truck. Instead, reports say he made a U-turn
and then ran over Mr. Hughes.
RECORDS AT THE
S. C.. Department of Motor Vehicles and the State Law
Enforcement Division show Porcher has a criminal record and
dozens of driving violations.
After several such accidents
at state ports, some people are saying the prospective
employee screening policies for ports workers should be
strengthened before anyone is allowed to operate heavy
machinery.
In his most recent offense before this one,
Porcher’s driver’s license was suspended June 23, 2004. That
wasn’t the first time it was suspended, though. His South
Carolina driver’s record notes two previous suspensions and 24
convictions for various moving violations, including careless
or negligent driving and speeding. He was involved in six
accidents before the one that killed Mr. Hughes.
There
hardly seems any question that screenings, or background
checks, should be stronger for ports workers.
IT’S LUDICROUS TO THINK to think that
anyone with a record like this truck driver was operating
moving equipment in the first place. It creates a number of
questions, naturally. What are the screening policies? Why was
Porcher employed as a driver? Did union membership a factor?
Why must fatalities occur before safeguards are
established?
These and other questions should be answered.
Quickly. It’s obvious that something must be done before other
fatal accidents occur on the ports.
While Porcher faces
reckless homicide charges, it appears that others should share
the blame.
Whoever allowed a criminal with multiple driving
convictions to operate heavy, moving equipment around a
crowded port terminal should be investigated, too. Otherwise
they’ll be treating the symptoms instead of the disease.
Editorial expression in this feature represents
our own views.
Opinions are limited to this page.
| | |
|
|
| | |
|
|
