Blog Post

Man Accused in Fatal Fresno Multi-Car Accident Surrenders


July 15, 2008
Topic: Drunk Driving Accidents

Call it guilt, remorse, or just plain fear of the long arm of the law. Whatever the reasons, a 61-year-old man who was suspected of causing a massive pile-up on a Fresno freeway which impacted a total of more than 100 cars and killed two persons, turned himself in at a courthouse on Monday.

Morris Taylor is the man accused of setting off a pileup in foggy weather that ultimately affected more than 100 vehicles on the freeway, last November. After the dust and fog had settled down, there were dozens of people injured in the car accident. Vehicles were smashed against each other and total chaos reigned. Two people were killed.

After the car accident, Morris Taylor was given a blood alcohol test, and his results were found to be at least 3 times above the legal limit. Taylor at the time of the accident, however, claimed no wrongdoing, and denied that he was drunk at the time of the car accident. He claims that he drank a little to calm his nerves, but that was after the alleged drunk driving accident, not before. The San Antonio native eventually returned to Texas, while he and 8 others were charged with causing the car accident.

Taylor has now retuned to Fresno to appear before court in connection with the charges brought against him. This surrender was a complete surprise to officers at the court who weren’t expecting to see him, in the least. The man had an arrest warrant out for him, but prosecutors did not expect that he would be there to face charges.

Taylor admits he has been bitten by remorse. The news of the death of two people in the drunk driving accident he caused, has no doubt played a part in forcing him back to face up to his actions. Taylor admits to being filled with regrets when he thinks of the two innocent victims of the car accident. In fact, he regrets what happened so much, he’s actually stopped driving from the guilt.

While there is no excuse for a man who gets behind the wheel drunk with a blood alcohol level of .24, which is 3 times above the legal limit, and then causes a multi-car pile up that’s one of the worst in recent history, killing two and seriously injuring dozens of others, there is something to be said for Taylor, willingly appearing before court to face charges brought against him. He faces two felony counts of DUI, and stands to face a stiff jail sentence, if found guilty. Not only that, he has also opened himself up to the possibility of personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits from victims and family members of those injured or killed in the drunk driving accident. We hope this man realizes that now that he’s turned himself in, it’s time to face the music from all directions.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.


The California personal injury attorneys at The Reeves Law Group represent victims of accidents, injuries and wrongful death throughout California from our offices in Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Diego County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Ventura County, Fresno County, Kern County, Sacramento County, San Fernando Valley, Long Beach, Antelope Valley, Torrance, Glendale, Bakersfield, Santa Ana, San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, Ontario, and Victorville.