KINGMAN – Excessive speeding by the victim vehicle and no impairment for the other driver involved are key findings of the Kingman Police Department (KPD) investigation into the traffic accident that claimed the life of Michael Schuster, brother of Mohave County Sheriff Doug Schuster.
Michael Schuster, 57, Golden Valley, was dead at the scene of the Dec. 31 collision in downtown Kingman at about 7:38 a.m. The accident investigation report indicated that an 18-wheeler was pulling out of the TA truck stop in the 900 block of Beale St., making a right turn to proceed southeast toward the downtown district.
The 2020 Freightliner hauling a 5,000-lb., load of Amazon freight from Las Vegas to Phoenix had partly completed its turn, but crossed both the number one and two lanes of Beale Street when the also southeast bound 2006 Toyota Tundra operated by Schuster crashed into, and pushed partly under the trailer of the big rig. A witness used an extinguisher to put out a fire that started in the engine compartment of the Tundra.
Two witnesses told investigators that the Tundra was speeding at 60 to 70 miles per hour in the 35-mile-per-hour zone. Analysis by KPD traffic investigation expert officer Gilbert Gima calculated the speed of the Tundra at 63.95 miles per hour.
One witness indicated the Tundra did not slow down, but another told investigators that he thought Schuster tapped his brakes an instant before the collision.
Police did not detect any sign of drug, alcohol or other impairment when questioning the truck driver, Stanley Thomas, 34, Frisco, Texas. And review of video footage capturing the crash didn’t find fault on the part of the big rig operator.
“Stanley was conducting his right turn onto West Beale St. in a safe manner,” the police report concluded. “He did not cut off Michael.”
Deputy Police Chief Joel Freed said the Mohave County Medical Examiner determined the cause of Schuster’s death to be blunt force trauma related to the collision. Freed said the examiner report neither denied nor confirmed that Schuster may have suffered a medical episode, but that police were informed he had a history involving seizures.
Excessive speed, no impairment found in fatal Schuster crash
