Collinsville couple claim they had to huddle in car after bus crashed into house

A Collinsville couple is suing a Madison County Mass Transit driver they say crashed a bus into their house while they were sleeping.

Dale and June Willeford filed the lawsuit against Danny Floyd and the Madison County Mass Transit District Nov. 3 in Madison County Circuit Court.

The Willefords say the crash happened Dec. 12, 2009 while they were they were sleeping in their St. Louis Road home. The couple says several family members and friends who were visiting were also sleeping in several different rooms of the house.

In the middle of the night Floyd, who is accused of erratically driving a Madison County Transit bus, crashed into the back porch of their house. The Willefords say the crash caused a sound that made them think the furnace had exploded, causing them to fear for the lives of their guests.

The lawsuit also claims Madison County Transit promised to provide a place to stay to the displaced family and friends of the Willefords after the crash -- a promise that has allegedly not been fulfilled.

Because of the damage to the house, and the lack of shelter, the Willefords say they all had to huddle in a car until the following afternoon.

The Willefords are asking for more than $100,000 in damages. Mark Levy of Edwardsville is representing the couple.

Madison County Circuit Court Case No. 10-L-1121