Towing company and driver blamed in rear-end accident

A woman has filed suit against the company that hired a driver who she claims rear-ended her vehicle nearly six years ago.

Lisa Going claims she was driving a 2000 Chevy S-10 north on Route 159 near its intersection with Cottonwood Road in Glen Carbon on Oct. 6, 2004, at about 8:12 a.m. when John Claus Jr., who was driving a 1987 Ford FSR for defendant Mike Hahne Towing, struck the rear of her vehicle.

Because of the collision, Going lost income, suffered pain and discomfort, incurred medical costs and has been physically limited and restricted, according to the complaint filed Aug. 18 in Madison County Circuit Court.

She blames Mike Hahne Towing, through Claus, for causing the collision, saying Claus negligently failed to keep a proper lookout, failed to keep his vehicle under proper control, failed to stop or swerve to avoid a collision, drove too fast and failed to obey a traffic control device, the suit states.

Defendants Michael and Kathy Hahne, who owned the Ford, should never have let Claus drive their vehicle, the complaint says.

"The defendant had sufficient knowledge that John Claus Jr. was incapable of properly operating a vehicle in that the Defendant was familiar with John Claus Jr. in that the Defendant had observed John Claus Jr. in the weeks and moments just before the incident," the suit states.

In her three-count complaint, Going is seeking a judgment of more than $150,000, plus costs.

Nathan C. Lanter of Nelson and Nelson in Belleville will be representing her.

Madison County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-856.