As it should be. It could have been much worse.

So, who knows. There are two sides to every story. If the brakes are burnt up and can't be examined, he'll probably be found guilty.

I've seen a lot of 18 wheelers driving in my 65 years. I've never seen one driving that much over the speed limit. My first thought was that maybe he was in that hypnotic thing that happens (that happened to me once). But since he was weaving in and out of the traffic, that's not it. He says his brakes had failed. They normally don't drive that fast because it takes so long for a truck that big to stop, and also because law enforcement focus on the driving of the big trucks.

A horrible pile-up, though. Just horrible. Those poor people, like sitting ducks.

speed like maniacs. They come out of CA where they are restricted and make up time here. Some facts: arizona accidents
Crashes by commercial vehicle type in one year

Tractor-Trailer Accidents: 2,457 - Garbage Truck Accidents: 121 -Tanker Truck Accidents: 42; Tow Truck Accidents: 143; School Bus Accidents: 238; Commercial Bus Accidents: 1,086

The whole place is crawling with cops eager to make their speeding quotas...with an emphasis on trucks passing through.

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he apparently blew past truck safety ramps designed specifically for such an issue, when he could have used them. He also ignored other signs as well, and was speeding past 100 at the time. I'm sorry, but if this is true, he needs to have the book thrown at him but good.

If he passed ramps designed for that, and he could get to them, that does present a problem in his defense. That article didn't say that, so I didn't see that. There will be a lot of rumors before the trial...like "I heard he was drinking" or "they found beer cans in his truck" or ....

Yes, if he was intentionally going that fast, he should go to prison. That's unbelievable.

To me he looks to be going about 100 in this video. This is at the bottom of the hill right before the crash.
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shows how much situational awareness he had.

All the cars nearby were at a dead stop. It makes no sense, unless he was in that hypnotic state that happens to long-range drivers.

OTOH, he wasn't honking his horn, but could be because he couldn't take his hands off the wheel or he was panicking.

Hard to say.

But I don't think anyone can gauge the speed just by looking at a truck coming toward you, when there's no other known speed in the area to compare it to you. You know you can't tell the speed of a train coming toward you. But he was going pretty fast.

Regardless how it happened, what a tragedy. Horrible.

It ended in a fiery crash.

is at a 6% grade. He passed three runaway truck ramps. There is video of him prior to the accident doing 85 MPH and driving right past the truck ramps. His company was cited for its drivers not being able to read English and brake problems. His brakes definitely failed. Witnesses also said there was fluid coming off the back of the truck. Fuel? IDK. He told the police he was doing 45 prior to the brake failure.

I've been down that mountain many times. From the top down into Denver, there are MANY
signs with yellow warning lights and IIRC, at least three runaway ramps. There is only one way brakes can fail-overheating.
IF the signs and speed limits are followed, there WILL be no problems.
Even without a Jake brake, a steady, light press of the brakes will get you down safely even at max legal weight, IF you know WTF you're doing. I'm glad I retired 10 years ago. for the victims.