On November 12, 2012, Joshua West, his wife, and their two children were driving home on Route 222 in Lancaster County, PA. At almost 7:00 p.m., it was dark and rainy. A trainee CDL driver pulled out from the side of the road under an underpass into oncoming traffic, with no lights on, at 17 mph. Joshua’s car immediately impacted the rear of the truck and flipped over. Eyewitnesses testified that it was like they hit a “black wall.”
40-year-old Joshua West and his 2-year-old son Charlie were killed in the crash. Joshua’s wife survived with many traumatic injuries. Joshua’s daughter was not seriously injured. The courts decided that the 21-year-old driver was not experienced enough to be judged guilty of vehicular homicide.
Joshua is the eldest of seven children and the father of five. Joshua and Charlie are sorely missed by their large family.