Truck driver blamed in Granite City rear-end accident

Two women have filed suit against the truck driver who they claim rear-ended the vehicle in which they were riding.

Marilyn Rice and Savannah Beadle claim Rice was driving a 2006 Lincoln Town Car south on Nameoki Road in Granite City on Sept. 2, 2011, at about 12:55 p.m. and had stopped in an attempt to make a left-hand turn onto Edwards Street. Defendant Christopher Mendenhall, who was driving a 2007 Ford Sterling truck for MC Freight on the same road, was approaching the same intersection, according to the complaint filed Aug. 9 in Madison County Circuit Court.

Despite Rice’s brake lights and turn signal and Mendenhall’s “considerable” distance behind Rice, he rear-ended her vehicle, the suit states. At the time of the collision, Beadle was riding as a passenger in the Lincoln.

Because of the accident, Rice and Beadle sustained severe and permanent injuries to their necks and backs and suffered great pain and mental anguish, the complaint says. They claim they were also prevented from attending to their usual duties and incurred medical costs.

Rice and Beadle blame Mendenhall for causing the collision, saying he negligently failed to keep his vehicle under proper control, failed to keep a proper lookout ahead, failed to stop before rear-ending the Lincoln, failed to reduce his speed to avoid a collision, failed to timely apply his brakes, failed to pay proper attention to the traffic ahead and drove too fast.

In their complaint, Rice and Beadle seek a judgment of more than $200,000, plus costs.

Ronald S. Motil of Beatty, Motil and Jones in Glen Carbon will be representing them.

Madison County Circuit Court case number: 13-L-1346.