PHOENIX — A truck driver who fatally crashed into five individuals in Arizona last year while distracted by TikTok videos has received a sentence of over 20 years in prison, according to an announcement from authorities on Monday.

Danny Tiner, aged 38, was sentenced to 22 ⅟₂ years on Friday after pleading guilty to five counts of negligent homicide. This was reported in statements from both the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and the Arizona Department of Public Safety. Tiner was driving a tractor-trailer involved in the tragic incident on January 12, 2023, along the eastbound lanes of Interstate 10 in Chandler, Arizona, just southeast of Phoenix.

The crash involved six vehicles, with two being commercial trucks, as per the authorities. At the time of the accident, a section of Interstate 10 was closed due to a prior incident involving multiple semi-trucks.

Tiner was taken into custody on June 29, 2023, following a thorough investigation that established his responsibility for the crash. He was held on a $300,000 bond and faced numerous charges, including five counts of manslaughter, four counts of endangerment, and one count of tampering with evidence.

Court records reveal that Tiner agreed to plead guilty to five counts of negligent homicide, with each count resulting in a consecutive sentence of 4 ⅟₂ years, leading to a total of 22 ⅟₂ years. He will also receive credit for 415 days served in jail.

Investigation uncovered Tiner’s social media distraction

According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, Tiner reported that he received a notification on his work tablet and looked down to check it. When he glanced back up, he found that traffic had stopped, but he couldn’t halt in time to avoid the crash.

Authorities had initially suspected that distraction was a contributing factor to the accident. Throughout the investigation, it was determined that Tiner was driving at 68 mph in a construction zone where the speed limit was set at 55 mph and that he was “actively using the TikTok application on his cellphone during the collision,” they stated.

This incident marks the first time in the history of the Arizona Department of Public Safety that a driver was convicted for causing a fatal collision as a result of being distracted by social media.

“As a driver, you are required to focus on the road. Choosing to engage with social media while driving endangers others and is irresponsible,” stated Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “Five families are suffering the loss of their loved ones. While the justice system cannot ease that suffering, it can hold the responsible party accountable, which is what we have accomplished.”