Route 158 accident is subject of suit

A woman and her daughter have filed suit against the driver who they say turned in front of the vehicle the daughter was driving, causing a collision.

Cristin C. McManemy and her mother, Brenda McManemy, claim Cristin C. McManemy was driving a 2000 Dodge Caravan owned by her parents north on Illinois State Route 158 at its intersection with East Centreville Road in Columbia on July 20, 2006, when the accident occurred.

According to the complaint filed March 18 in St. Clair County Circuit Court, defendant Jeffrey J. Juengling was driving a 1998 Ford Econoline owned by co-defendants Jan M. and James G. Toon south on Illinois State Route 158. The Econoline was pulling a 1987 homemade flatbed trailer loaded with a Bobcat bulldozer behind it, the suit states.

"The Defendant, Jeffrey J. Juengling, turned in front of Plaintiff, Cristin C. McManemy's vehicle causing a collision with the automobile being driven by the Plaintiff," the complaint says.

Because of the collision, Cristin C. McManemy claims she sustained serious, severe and permanent injuries; suffered mental pain and anguish; and incurred medical costs. In addition, Brenda McManemy incurred medical costs to care for her daughter, according to the complaint.

The McManemys blames Juengling for causing the accident, saying he failed to keep his vehicle under proper control, failed to keep a proper lookout, failed to take evasive measures to avoid a collision, failed to stop or yield the right-of-way to Cristin C. McManemy's vehicle, drove a vehicle without adequate brakes and negligently hauled a flatbed trailer.

The plaintiffs say the Toons should never have lent their vehicle to Juengling when they knew he lacked experience and knew of the unsafe conditions of the vehicle.

In their 10-count suit, the McManemys are seeking a judgment of more than $500,000, plus costs.

They will be represented by Thomas B. Cannady of Keehner, Cannady and Katz in Shiloh.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-132.