Seeking more than $300,000 in damages, Tammy Kent Delcourt of Mississippi, as special administrator to the estate of Christopher J. Kent, is suing those who came in contact with the Normal man after he had already been involved in a roll-over crash.
Defendants Betsy E. Dankenbring of Troy, Kenneth R. Mattison of Paris, Texas and Central Freight Lines were sued Nov. 12 resulting from a May 12 accident in Madison County.
After Kent' vehicle crashed, his car came to rest on its roof in the inside lane of northbound I-55/70 near Highway 111. Kent was still inside.
Delcourt claims that Dankenbring approached, stopped and exited her vehicle in the center lane without turning on her emergency flashers.
Mattison, who was driving a vehicle for Central Freight Lines, allegedly struck Dankenbring’s car forcing it into Kent’s already overturned vehicle.
Delcourt alleges that as a result of Dankenbring's failure to park her vehicle in a safe place that would not obstruct traffic and her failure to use emergency flashers to warn others of her stopped car, Kent suffered severe injuries to his body and head which caused severe pain and suffering, disability and ultimately his death.
Delcourt is represented by Michael G. Burnworth of Edwardsville.
The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Philip Kardis in Granite City.
04 L 1252