Truck driver Kevin J. Roper hadn't slept for 24 hours prior to the accident that critically injured comedian Tracy Morgan and killed one person, prosecutors said Monday.
Roper, 35, of Jonesboro, who was driving a truck for Wal-Mart at the time of the accident early Saturday morning, is free on $50,000 bond and has a Wednesday court appearance in New Brunswick, New Jersey, on charges of death by auto and four counts of assault by auto.
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According to the criminal complaint, Roper was operating the truck
"without having slept for a period in excess of 24 hours resulting in a motor vehicle accident," The Associated Press said. The complaint, however, doesn't specify the basis for the claim.
Authorities said Roper apparently failed to slow down for traffic ahead of him and swerved at the last minute to avoid a crash. Instead, his truck smashed into the back of Morgan's limo bus, killing Morgan’s mentor, comedian James "Jimmy Mack" McNair.
Morgan remained in critical condition Monday. According to the AP, his spokesman, Lewis Kay, said the 45-year-old comedian was "more responsive" Sunday after having surgery for a broken leg. Kay said Morgan suffered a broken femur, a broken nose, and several broken ribs. He is expected to remain hospitalized for several weeks.
The New York Daily News reported that Roper had a Twitter account that recently bore the message, “Move or get hit.” The Daily News said Roper couldn’t be reached to confirm the Twitter account that now bears the message, “Trying to win more than lose! Driving trucks for a living #Walmart.”
Support for Morgan could be seen across social media, including Twitter.
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