A Rockford man whose trailer came unhooked and killed an …
Thomas Dells is charged with negligent homicide after his trailer came unhitched and killed Toni Hall (Jan. 6, 2010)
Toni Hall was driving her SUV on 10 Mile Road Wednesday morning…
A trailer came unhooked from a van and flew into the windshield…
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Sentence for trailer-puller in crash
Thomas Dells was charged for negligent homicide
Updated: Tuesday, 27 Apr 2010, 9:36 PM EDT
Published : Wednesday, 10 Mar 2010, 4:50 PM EST
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - A Rockford man whose trailer came unhooked and killed an oncoming driver was sentenced Tuesday to 4.5 months in the Kent County jail and three years of probation.
Thomas Dells pleaded no contest March 10 to negligent homicide. He may be eligible for early release on tether.
In exchange for the plea, the prosecutor agreed not to ask for more than the midpoint of sentencing guidelines.
On Oct. 28, Dells was driving a van on 10 Mile Road in Cannon Township when the trailer came loose, flew over a westbound vehicle, then hit the next car's windshield.
The crash killed 46-year-old Toni Lynn Hall, of Rockford. Her passenger suffered serious injuries.
Police said it appeared the steel pin that holds the ball mount to the van's hitch somehow came loose, allowing the trailer to break free. The trailer was hauling salvage metal.
Documents reviewed by 24 Hour News 8 maintain Dells did not use safety chains on the trailer.
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