Motions Decieded In 6 Hour Hearing In Gross Case

A six-hour motions hearing Wednesday resolved some issues in the manslaughter cases against an Iroquois father and son. Kyle and Brady Gross are charged with alternate counts of first and second degree manslaughter for a September 2008 accident that killed a Washington State woman. During the first hours of motions testimony a number of truck drivers who drove trucks owned by Kyle Gross say they had been cited by Motor Carrier Officers in two states for violations including a number of out of service citations that forced the trucks and drivers from operating the vehicles  until they had been repaired. One driver was given 29 violations near Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota with 6 of them being out of service violations. Almost all of the drivers who testified said out of service violations included problems with braking systems on their trucks. The accident happened directly behind two women who testified on a hearsay evidence motion. Shanna Palmlund testified she heard Brady Gross, the driver of the truck say quote “I can’t believe my dad makes me drive these (expletive) trucks”. end quote. She and a passenger with her in a car that barely escaped being involved in the accident, Angela Steffenson said the younger Gross was upset and in a frantic state after the crash. Palmlund also said she got the impression Gross was more concerned over the truck than Barbara Walter, the woman who died in the crash. Defense motions were denied to exclude accident reconstruction evidence and a motion on out of court statements was granted. A number of motions including the hearsay motion will be briefed by attorneys and ruled on by Judge Jon Erickson later.