Ford F-150 tried to run scooter off road, suit claims

A St. Clair County man claims he was riding on a scooter when the driver of a Ford F-150 forced him to collide with a Ford Taurus.

Daniel A. Weiser filed a lawsuit Oct. 27 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Lawrence W. Fetterer Jr.

Weiser claims he was operating a 2006 Yamaha YW50 scooter on a public thoroughfare in Belleville on Aug. 25 when Fetterer, who was driving a 2000 Ford F-150, began to chase him.

"At that time and place, Defendant intentionally and willfully chased Plaintiff and tried to run Plaintiff's vehicle off the roadway and into other objects and vehicles in an effort to cause a harmful or offensive contact between his vehicle and Plaintiff, and between Plaintiff and another object, including other vehicles on or near the roadway," the suit states.

As a result, Weiser was forced to strike a 2003 Ford Taurus being driven by Matthew Dobler, according to the complaint.

Weiser blames Fetterer for failing to drive entirely in a single lane, for driving too fast, for failing to keep his vehicle under proper control, for failing to keep a proper lookout for other vehicles and for chasing his vehicle.

In the four-count suit, Weiser is seeking a judgment of more than $50,000, punitive damages of more than $100,000 and compensatory damages of more than $50,000, plus costs.

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

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 09-L-576.