INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Court records are shedding new light on why Indiana State Police arrested the truck driver responsible for a fatal crash that killed a mother and her two twin toddlers Sunday on I-465.
Bruce Pollard remains behind bars on preliminary charges of reckless homicide and criminal recklessness.
According to court records, the 57-year-old suspect was speeding and reaching for his iced tea when got distracted and didn’t realize traffic on I-465 had slowed.
The seven vehicle crash happened around 12 p.m. on eastbound I-465 near the 33 mile marker, resulting in multiple fatalities and multiple serious injuries.
Documents show that police found a 2012 silver Ford engulfed in flames. Three bodies were located in the wreckage, but could not be identified due to burns sustained in the fire.
ISP said the fire was so intense it burned the surrounding area and metal guard rail, and that they discovered a charred Ford grill emblem in the grass away from the crash.
Five other vehicles were struck by the semi, sending seven other people to an area hospital. One vehicle was still attached to the semi when rescue teams arrived, and the driver had to be cut out of their vehicle when medical teams arrived.
The driver of the red International semi tractor — Bruce Pollard, 57, of Sturgeon, Missouri — remained at the scene and was being treated for minor injuries.
The court documents reveal a witness from another lightly-damaged vehicle told police that the red semi was traveling over the speed limit and changed lanes.
The witness also said that the semi did not brake until he struck the silver Ford, setting it on fire and striking another vehicle, pinning it along the concrete barrier.
Pollard was taken to Eskenazi hospital for a consensual blood draw, followed by a police interview in which he consented to a search of his truck’s Airbag Control Module (ACM), claiming he “had nothing to hide.”
At first, Pollard claimed that a white vehicle cut him off and he hit his brakes to avoid it, making his semi pull to the right. He also claimed he was only going 30 to 35 mph because he knew he was in a construction zone.
Police said Pollard was only concerned about his vehicle after the crash and showed no remorse when he was told that multiple people had died and several more were seriously injured.
The affidavit reads, “Pollard did not have any remorse when informed multiple people has perished.”
Pollard was only concerned for his belongings, medicine and what hotel police were dropping him off at, according to the court documents.
Around this time, the family of the victims in the silver Ford identified the vehicle and confirmed the victims as 29-year-old Alanna Norman Koons and her 18-month-old twins, June and Ruby Koons.
Police then obtained the ACM data which reported Pollard’s speed at 65 mph and showed that he did not brake until the semi hit the Ford driven by Koons.
Documents show that Pollard later admitted that he was going too fast.
Police said he again showed no remorse, saying that he “guesses” he was going too fast and that he “guesses” that he hit other vehicles.
Pollard again asked what hotel room police were dropping him off at and when he could get his things, the documents show.
Officers informed him that he had just killed a family and that others were seriously injured.
Police said he showed no emotion and stated he was reaching for his iced tea to drink and when he looked up traffic had stopped.
Pollard was informed that he was being charged with reckless homicide and criminal recklessness serious bodily injury.
Pollard was only concerned about when he was getting out, police said.
Officers again informed him that he had just killed a family, and again, he showed no emotion.
A search of online court records in Missouri and Indiana shows dating back to the early 90’s, Pollard had more than a dozen previous driving violations. That violations include driving an overweight truck, not wearing a seat-belt, speeding, failing to keep proper driving records and as recently as this year, failing to maintain his brakes.
Pollard is due in court on Thursday. In the meantime he’s being held in jail on a $70,000 bond.
The Koons family released the following statement on Tuesday:
“At this extremely difficult time we would like to express our gratitude to all of those who have reached out to our family following the tragic loss of Alanna, June and Ruby. They were all loved dearly by their family and friends, and they will be greatly missed. We are broken-hearted by their loss but sustained by our faith. We believe in a loving Heavenly Father who comforts his children in the midst of their most painful trials. We are steadfast and confident in knowing that our family will be reunited in the life to come. We thank the police, other first responders, friends, family and the media for their kind words about these wonderful girls and their mother. We trust you will allow us private time to mourn.”
