Driver In NH Crash That Killed 7 Bikers Was On Drugs

The pickup truck driver who caused a chain-reaction accident, killing 7 motorcyclists in New Hampshire, was high on drugs, according to a federal report.

According to the Portland Press Herald, the report from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration states that 23-year-old Volodymyr Zhukovskyy tested positive for an unspecified drug after the June 21st accident. The exact drug Zhukovskyy had taken wasn't revealed, but it does say it was a narcotic or an amphetamine. In addition, the report says the driver admitted he was reaching for a drink on the passenger side of the truck just before the crash.

Witnesses have said the Dodge Ram pickup truck, that was hauling a trailer, was driving erratically just before crossing the centerline in the town of Randolph and colliding with the motorcycles. The seven bikers who died in the accident were members of the Jarheads Motorcycle Group, a New England-based organization comprised of former U.S. Marines and their spouses.

Zhokovskyy has a history of run-ins with the law, involving alleged impaired driving. In addition, the company he was driving for on that day has a troubled history. Westfield Transport Inc. has had over 60 violations in the past two years. Zhokovskyy has pleaded not guilty to seven counts of negligent homicide.