Collision on East Airline prompts suit

A South Roxana woman has filed suit against a Dorsey man and Guardsmark, alleging she was seriously injured after a collision.

Donna Ragsdale claims she was driving north on Illinois Route 111 near its intersection with East Airline on Jan. 13, 2007, when Ronald Mullen, who was driving east on East Airline, slid through a red traffic signal into the intersection and collided with Ragsdale, according to the complaint filed Dec. 10 in Madison County Circuit Court.

Because of the accident, Ragsdale's right shoulder, neck, back and left knee were seriously bruised, contused, lacerated, cut, torn, swollen, aggravated, ruptured, mashed, wrenched, narrowed, compressed, subluxed, abraded, dislocated, strained, sprained and rendered stiff, sore and painful, the suit states.

She also claims she suffered great physical pain, that the functions of parts of her body have been greatly impaired and diminished, that her injuries are permanent and progressive and she incurred medical expenses.

Guardsmark and Mullen were negligent because Mullen failed to exercise ordinary care to keep a lookout ahead and laterally, failed to sound any warning of his approach and drove too fast, according to the complaint.

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

She is represented by James Ryan of Brown and Crouppen in St. Louis.

Madison County Circuit Court case number: 08-L-1160.