Fire truck rear-ends Dodge Neon, suit claims

A St. Clair County woman claims she sustained pain after a person driving a fire truck rear-ended her vehicle.

Jessica L. Nelson filed a lawsuit April 13 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Truck Centers and William D. Bryant.

Nelson claims she drove south on Illinois 158 and slowed her Dodge Neon as she approached its intersection with Illinois 161 on Nov. 4. Suddenly, Bryant, who drove an East Side Fire Protection District fire truck behind her, struck the rear of her vehicle, according to the complaint.

At the time of the collision, Bryant worked for Truck Centers and was delivering the truck back to the East Side Fire Department after Truck Centers had repaired it, the suit states.
In addition to pain, Nelson suffered mental anguish and incurred medical costs because of the collision, the complaint says.

In her complaint, Nelson blames Bryant for causing the collision, saying he negligently failed to exercise due care, failed to keep a proper lookout, failed to reduce his speed, failed to keep his vehicle under proper control and failed to maintain a reasonable speed.
Nelson seeks a judgment of more than $50,000, plus other relief the court deems just.

Alvin C. Paulson of Becker, Paulson, Hoerner and Thompson in Belleville will be representing her.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 11-L-193.