LeChien
A St. Clair County jury awarded $3.7 million on April 15 to the family of one of two men killed in a March 2008 trench collapse in Millstadt.
Plaintiff Mendy Yankey sued Followell Construction Inc. on behalf of her deceased husband, Ronnie Yankey three years ago.
The suit was one of two filed against Followell stemming from the collapse of a trench on March 10, 2008.
Ronnie Yankey died in the trench collapse as did Walter Thomas Eickelman.
Eickelman entered the trench in an attempt to save Yankey.
Both were employees of a subcontractor working for Followell, Midwest Petroleum and Excavating.
Eickelman's widow, Kathy, also filed suit in 2008 against Followell and other defendants on claims of her husband's wrongful death.
The Yankey case file was not available for review for further details Wednesday.
According to the order entered by St. Clair County Circuit Judge Robert LeChien April 15, jurors awarded Mendy Yankey a total of $3, 770,800.00 on two counts and not including the costs of the suit.
The Eickelman suit is currently awaiting trial.
The most recent action in that case came April 5 when a request to admit facts was filed.
The suit is set for trial Sept. 26 at 9 a.m. with a final pre-trial conference set on St. Clair County Associate Judge Andrew Gleeson's calendar July 18 at 9 a.m.
William Galvin represents Mendy Yankey.
Steve Stone represents Kathy Eickelman.
Michael Bedesky is listed as counsel for Followell in the Eickelman case file.
The Yankey case is St. Clair case number 08-L-200.
The Eickelman case is St. Clair case number 08-L-299.