Southern Lane Transport and driver blamed for wide turn

A Venice mother is suing a trucking company and the driver that she claims is responsible for a crash.

Dina Hill, individually, and as mother and next friend for Haily Yancy, a minor, and as mother and next friend for Deziree Stiff, a minor, filed a lawsuit on March 18 in Madison County Circuit Court against Richard L. Eckerle. Southern Lane Transport LLC is also named as a defendant.

The alleged crash happened July 6, 2012 on Madison Avenue in Venice. Hill says she was driving with her two daughters in a 2008 Chevrolet Impala. According to the complaint, Hill was driving in the inside northbound lane of Madison Avenue. Eckerle, who was working for Southern Lane Transport, was allegedly driving a 2012 Kenworth tractor-trailer in the same direction in the outside lane.

As the Impala and tractor-trailer approached the intersection with Second Avenue, Hill says Eckerle "failed to execute a right turn from the lane nearest the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway." She also alleges the truck driver "failed to change lanes only when such movements could be made safely."

The 10-count complaint accuses Eckerle of negligence for allegedly failing to keep his tractor-trailer under proper control, failing to drive at a reasonable speed and failing to slow down to avoid a collision.

Hill says she and her daughters were seriously injured as a result of Eckerle's actions. She asks to be awarded more than $500,000 in damages for medical expenses, loss of income pain and anguish.

Attorneys Richard G. Reed and Earl W. Hubbs of Belleville represent her.

Madison County Circuit Court Case No. 13-L-445