Caregiver sued for instructing subject to walk behind car; Driver also blamed

Mary Melton has filed suit against Ryan McDonald and Mary Yu, claiming McDonald ran over her with his car two times after Yu instructed her to walk behind his vehicle.

Melton was walking from 3 Sunset Hills Professional Park in Edwardsville to a vehicle in the parking lot on March 31 at about 11 a.m. when the incident occurred, according to a complaint filed Nov. 19 in Madison County Circuit Court.

Yu, Melton's caregiver, was helping Melton walk to the vehicle when McDonald backed over Melton, "then shifted gears and went forward, again over the person of Melton," the suit states.

Because of the accident, Melton claims she incurred medical expenses and sustained disability, pain and suffering, loss of a normal life and moving and housing expenses.

McDonald was negligent because he failed to reduce his speed to avoid hitting her and failed to keep a lookout for pedestrians, according to the complaint.

Yu negligently instructed Melton to walk behind parked vehicles, failed to keep Melton from walking behind parked vehicles and failed to pick Melton up at the front door of the building she was exiting, the suit states.

In the two-count suit, Melton is seeking a judgment in excess of $100,000, plus costs.

Tad Armstrong of Armstrong Law Offices in Edwardsville will be representing her.

Madison County Circuit Court case number: 08-L-1101.