Attorney: Driver in Texas veterans parade crash "in shock"

Midland police, fire and sheriffs respond to an accident where a trailer carrying veterans in a parade was struck by a train crossing in Midland, Texas,on Nov. 15, 2012. / AP Photo/Reporter-Telegram/ Tim Fischer

MIDLAND, Texas The attorney for a parade float driver in a fatal train collision in West Texas says the driver is under a doctor's care and remains "very much in shock" after the incident.

Dale Andrew Hayden was identified Tuesday as the driver in last week's crash that left four veterans dead and 16 people injured.

Attorney Hal Brockett says Hayden is himself a veteran who served in Afghanistan. The 50-year-old is now a truck driver for an oilfield services company. He was driving a flatbed truck Thursday carrying two dozen veterans and their loved ones for a parade in their honor.

• Veterans parade in deadly crash used route for 3 years
• Officials: Vets' float crossed track after signals

The truck was passing a railroad crossing when it was hit by a Union Pacific train.

Brockett says words can't express Hayden's "sorrow and remorse" for the victims.

Meanwhile, federal investigators plan to re-enact the factors that converged into the train crash.

The National Transportation Safety Board has scheduled the test for Tuesday afternoon at the Union Pacific railroad crossing in western Midland where the crash happened. There has been no date arranged for investigators to interview the truck's driver, CBS News reported.

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West Texas veterans parade crash

One person remains hospitalized in Midland with injuries from last week's crash of a freight train into a veterans' parade float.

Midland city spokesman Ryan Stout says Midland Memorial Hospital had transferred to a critically injured patient to a hometown hospital after the patient's condition was stabilized. Hospital spokeswoman Marcy Madrid says she doesn't know where the patient was transferred.

Madrid says that leaves one patient in stable condition at the hospital who will eventually also be transferred to a hometown hospital.

[Vanessa-Laidig]

Blood test PLEASE........

[Rick_Carter1]

If it was even legal to use a flatbed trailer as a parade float (it should have required a permit), the flatbed trailer should NEVER have been loaded up with people UNTIL it was at the beginning of the approved parade route, and then it should have been IMMEDIATELY UNLOADED at the end of the approved parade route BEFORE moving it to any new location. - RC

[Choons]

parades crossing railroad tracks... gives me the same feeling of astonishment I had after 9/11 when it became obvious that that any nutjob could walk right into the unlocked cockpit of a passenger jet flying at 30,000 feet. Why does it take people dying for us to enact such BLATANTLY OBVIOUS safety measures?

[Social_Adjudicator]

Mr. Hayden obviously did not intentionally cross the rail road crossing to get people killed. Perhaps in his mind, all the while being somewhat distracted by the festivities, the signals were going off as a result of those who proceeded him. It's not too uncommon for signals and gates to activate for no apparent reason. It is rather obvious it was a tragic error on his part. So sad for everyone involved. I hope those who lost loved ones can find it in their heart to know Mr. Hayden made a tragic mistake.

[retiredgustav]

And he should be punished for it.

[kbbpll]

"There has been no date arranged for investigators to interview the truck's driver" - it's been almost a week. This seems odd. Perhaps they're preparing charges first.

[locondcoco]

Everyone who is crying foul about the route crossing a railroad: they werent at the actual parade yet. they were en route TO the parade.

but regardless, this is SQUARELY on the driver.

[OnTheRoad01]

He may be in 'shock' but he should be in 'Jail'!

[retiredgustav]

Amen! There is no such thing as an accident. Somewhere along the line someone did something to cause it.

[samXXkiley]

coucou,
****Brockett says words can't express Hayden's "sorrow and remorse" for the victims.****
=============
remorse and regrets are useless, he had to be careful. about the reasons that led to this tragedy, they are multiple such inattention or driving while drunk etc ...
"au revoir"

[1957vw]

Don't be surprised if the employer of the driver, the oilfield services company, gets sued for giving the driver a day off

[twmat311]

Has anyone else watched any parades that had to cross RR crossings? I haven't, but can't say for sure that parade permits should be denied for this reason (and following that, don't hold a parade where it has to cross any RR crossing).

I thought I saw somewhere where this was a parade held without an approved city permit - which means nothing in hindsight, other than laying liability.