Mother of skateboarder claims driver failed to see her son on street

The mother of a teenage skateboarder is suing a driver for not having headlights on when her son was struck while skating on a Belleville street.

Joan Renner claims that her son Alexander Brown was injured when Kishakee Gossett failed to see him skateboarding Freeburg Avenue because she was not paying attention to the road prior to striking her son.

Renner claims Gossett negligently drove her vehicle in a manner to injure her son, failed to maintain a proper lookout for pedestrians, operated her car at an excessive rate of speed and failed to properly apply her brakes.

She also claims Gossett failed to sound her horn, failed to yield to pedestrians, failed to keep her vehicle under proper control and failed to swerve her vehicle in time to avoid hitting Brown.

According to Renner, Brown was tossed with great force and violence, causing him to sustain severe and permanent injuries including brain trauma, coma, chest and back injuries and head and neck injuries causing him to become permanently disabled.

Renner also claims Brown suffered and will continue to suffer intense pain from his injuries and that he has and will continue to lose sums of money in earnings from his employment.

She also claims that she has become liable for thousands of dollars in medical expenses.

Renner also claims she has suffered extreme emotional distress including anxiety, stress, depression, and various fears after she saw her son unconscious and saw his body mangled and bleeding after the accident.

Represented by Chris Kolker of Belleville, Renner is seeking damages in excess of $150,000.

07 L 244 (20th Circuit)