Police: Trucker blamed in Tracy Morgan accident hadn't slept for more than 24 hours

Police: Trucker blamed in Tracy Morgan accident hadn't slept for more than 24 hours
(Image credit: Thinkstock)

The Walmart truck driver blamed for the fatal accident that killed one person and left several others in critical condition, including comedian Tracy Morgan, had not slept for 24 hours before the crash, police said Monday.

Authorities in New Jersey charged 35-year-old Kevin Roper with vehicular homicide, assault, and reckless driving. According to a criminal complaint, Roper was driving "without having slept for a period in excess of 24 hours." Truckers can't drive more than 11 hours during a 14-hour work day, with no more than 70 hours a week without extra breaks, per federal regulations.

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Jordan Valinsky is the lead writer for Speed Reads. Before joining The Week, he wrote for New York Observer's tech blog, Betabeat, and tracked the intersection between popular culture and the internet for The Daily Dot. He graduated with a degree in online journalism from Ohio University.