A motorist accused of striking a motorcyclist as he was crossing two lanes of traffic after another motorist beckoned him on to the roadway has denied liability in the lawsuit, claiming any alleged damages were caused by the plaintiff’s own negligence.
Michael R. Meyer of Collinsville filed his lawsuit on July 2 against Annette Tennant.
According to the complaint, Meyer claims he was stopped on his motorcycle on Beltline at the entrance to a car wash on Aug. 29, 2014, at approximately 4:50 p.m. The city where the alleged collision occurred was not provided.
Meyer claims traffic was stopped at the intersection for a red light. When an unknown party driving a vehicle in the right-hand lane of westbound Beltline “waved the plaintiff into the roadway” and Meyer attempted to cross two traffic lanes on westbound Beltline on his bike, the plaintiff was allegedly struck by Tennant’s minivan as it was traveling westbound on Beltline toward the intersection of Bluff.
Meyer alleges Tennant failed to keep a lookout, drove too fast, failed to slow down and take evasive action to avoid a collision and failed to obey traffic signals.
Tennant answered the complaint on Aug. 17 through attorney Michael Murphy of Freeark, Harvey & Mendillo in Belleville, arguing that the plaintiff’s own negligence was the cause of any alleged damages.
Meyer seeks a judgment in his favor for more than $50,000, plus attorney’s fees and costs.
The plaintiff is represented by Zane Cagle of the Cagle Law Firm in St. Louis.
Madison County Circuit Court case number 15-L-841