Driver failed to sound horn in rear-end accident, woman claims

A St. Clair County woman and man say the driver who rear-ended them failed to sound his horn before the impact.

Ethel Hudgins and Paul Go Forth filed a lawsuit June 19 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Thomas Lupo.

They say Hudgins was driving her 2002 Saturn on the on ramp to Route 3 from Highway 157 in St. Clair County on Aug. 17, 2007, at about 4 p.m. when Lupo rear-ended her vehicle. Go Forth was a passenger in the vehicle at the time of the collision, the suit states.

Because of the collision, Hudgins and Go Forth will be unable to attend to their usual duties and affairs, suffered mental and physical anguish and incurred medical costs, according to the complaint.

Lupo failed to give audible signal with his horn of his impending approach, drove too fast, failed to keep the vehicle under control, failed to keep a proper lookout for other vehicles and failed to reduce his speed to avoid a collision, the complaint says.

In the two-count suit, Hudgins and Go Forth are seeking a judgment of more than $100,000, plus costs.

Mark C. Scroggins, Clay B. St. Clair and Anthony P. Gilbreth of Crowder and Scroggins in Columbia will be representing them.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 09-L-331.