Rear-end collision causes multi-car accident

A man claims his vehicle slammed into the rear of another automobile after a driver behind him caused a multi-car collision.

Roy E. Ziegler filed a lawsuit May 27 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Laura Garrett.

Ziegler claims the accident occurred as he drove north on North Greenmount Road and stopped for traffic just north of North Greenmount Road's intersection with Frank Scott Parkway East in Shiloh on April 4, 2009.

"As a direct and proximate result of one or more of the aforesaid acts of negligence by Defendant Laura Garrett, her vehicle violently collided with the rear of Teresa Remberg's vehicle," the suit states. "That impact was so forceful that it caused the Remberg vehicle to violently collide with the rear of Plaintiff Roy E. Ziegler's vehicle. That impact was so forceful that it caused Roy E. Ziegler's vehicle to violently collide with the rear of Shateria Burgess' vehicle."

Because of the collision, Ziegler sustained painful and permanent injuries, incurred medical costs and became hindered in the performance of his usual activities, according to the complaint.

He blames Garrett for causing the collision, saying she negligently drove too fast, failed to apply her brakes to avoid a collision, failed to decrease her speed to avoid an accident, failed to maintain a proper lookout and failed to maintain control of her vehicle.

In his complaint, Ziegler seeks a judgment of more than $50,000, plus costs.

Bruce A. Beerman of Wolter, Beerman and Lynch will be representing him.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-261.