PASADENA, Calif.—A defense attorney has told a Los Angeles County jury that a carhauler committed no crime when his runaway trailer crashed into other vehicles, killing two people in April 2009.

Attorney Edward Murphy argued Wednesday that the real crime was the lack of a runaway truck escape lane at the foot of the steep mountain road in the Los Angeles foothill suburb of La Canada Flintridge.

Murphy says driver Marcos Costa of Massachusetts had no criminal intention when he followed a GPS route over the San Gabriel Mountains to deliver a car to Southern California.

The attorney says the car hauler's brakes failed after overheating on the steep descent.
The rig smashed into a car carrying a father and daughter, who were killed.

Costa is charged with second-degree murder and other counts.