A Florida couple who was awarded $16 million in 2009 over injuries suffered during a crash involving a driver of MTV's "Rock of Love Bus" are suing again in St. Clair County.
William and Colleen Wiley, who were critically injured in a 2008 accident on I-57 in West Frankfurt, are now suing Enterprise Leasing for allegedly entrusting a leased vehicle to an unlicensed and unqualified driver.
In their settlement reached in August 2009 with defendant 51 Minds Entertainment, a Hollywood production company, the Wileys were represented by Patrick Foppe and Kevin Fritz of Lashly & Baer in St. Louis.
Bernard J. Ysursa of Cook, Ysura, Bartholomew, Brauer & Shevlin Ltd. in Belleville and Andrew G. Toennies of Lashly & Baer in St. Louis are representing the Wileys in the new suit filed Sept. 12.
In it, the Wileys say that the commercial van driver Dennnis Hernandez did not have a valid license or the proper training necessary to legally operate a commercial vehicle. The couple says the rental company showed "utter indifference and conscious disregard" for their safety.
The Wileys say they suffered critical injuries in the crash, in which the commercial van crossed a median and hit their GMC Sierra. They claim they required extensive medical treatment followed by ongoing, intensive in-home care which continues today.
The van that hit the Wileys was being used to haul equipment for the Rock of Love Bus television series from St. Louis to Nashville. The van had been leased from Enterprise Leasing Company by representatives of MTV, VH-1 and 51 Minds Entertainment.
According to the complaint, Hernandez had fallen asleep behind the wheel; also tested positive for marijuana use.
The Wileys are seeking $300,000 in damages for negligent entrustment, willful and wanton conduct and loss of consortium. They also seek punitive damages against Enterprise Leasing Company.
St. Clair County Circuit Case No. 10-L-476.