- A truck driver responsible for the deaths of five individuals in Arizona last year, caused by a crash while he was distracted watching TikTok videos, has been sentenced to over 22 years in prison, authorities reported. Danny Tiner, 38, received a 22½-year prison sentence on Friday after pleading guilty to five counts of negligent homicide, according to statements from the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and the Arizona Department of Public Safety on Monday.
- Tiner had an accident on the 12, 2023 in the east of Arizona located at the southeast of Phoenix. The accident involved 6 vehicles, including 2 commercial trucks as indicated by authorities. At the time of the incident, part of Interstate 10 was closed due to a prior accident involving multiple semi-trucks.
- Tiner was arrested on June 29, 2023, after a thorough investigation determined he was at fault. He was booked into jail with a bond set at $300,000 and initially faced several charges, including five counts of manslaughter, four counts of endangerment, and one count of tampering with physical evidence.
- Court documents reveal Tiner responded guilty of negligent homicide, with each count carrying a consecutive sentence of 4½ years, resulting in a total of 22½ years. He will receive credit for 415 days served in jail before sentencing.
Investigation revealed Danny Tiner was distracted by social media
- According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety during Tiner’s arrest, Tiner reported that he received a notification on his electronic work tablet and went to check it. When he looked up again, traffic had come to a stop, but he could not react in time to avoid a collision.
- They said they had suspended the driver who was distracted which is the reason for the crash. During the investigation, authorities discovered that Tiner was traveling at 68 mph in a construction zone where the speed limit was 55 mph, while he was “actively using the TikTok app on his cellphone at the time of the collision,” according to the department.
