New Jersey has sued four trucking companies and three of their drivers, trying to recoup the $6 million it spend to rebuilt a 4-mile stretch of Interstate 80 after a fiery truck crash.

The Bergen County, N.J., Record reports that the state claims negligence and tailgating cause the crash of three tractor-trailers, one of which carried gasoline that caused much of the damage to the bridge when it exploded.
Named as defendants are trucking companies J-Low Express, Jersey City, N.J.; and driver James Laboo; Flexi-Van Leasing of Kenilworth, N.J.; Richard Dahn Inc. of Lafayette, N.J., and driver Walter Gardner Jr., and Venco Leasing of Emlenton, Pa., and driver Leo Willette.
A state police report found the truck owned by J-Low Express was the initial cause of the accident, but the suit alleges that all three drivers failed to control their trucks or were following too closely.
On June 22, the rear tires of the J-Low Express truck reportedly locked, sending the rig and its driver skidding more than 700 feet. A tanker truck loaded with gasoline swerved to avoid the truck and lost control. A third truck hit the J-Low truck from behind. The result was an extremely hot fire that damaged the supports of the I-80 bridge over the Den Brook river. The rebuilt bridge was not finished until September, resulting in months of snarled traffic.