A Missouri woman is suing a St. Clair County truck company and one of its drivers, alleging negligence in a woman's death in a vehicle collision.
Leslie M. White of Cape Girardeau, Mo.,, as special administrator of the estate of deceased Jessica R. White, filed a lawsuit Oct. 1 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Beelman Truck Co. and Edward J. Fournie of Freeburg, alleging negligence and wrongful death.
According to the complaint, at 2:40 p.m. June 18, 2013, Jessica White was a passenger in a vehicle operated by Jessica Richmond, traveling southbound on Interstate Highway 55 in Missouri. Ahead, Fournie, acting in the scope of his employment with Beelman Truck, parked his tractor-trailer on the shoulder of southbound I-55, the suit says.
Another tractor-trailer saw Fournie's truck and was forced to suddenly merge into the lane occupied by Richmond and Jessica White, forcing Richmond to take evasive action, the lawsuit states. Richmond was unable to maintain control of her vehicle, which struck the rear of Fournie's truck, and Jessica White died as a result of the collision, the complaint states.
The suit alleges the defendants were negligent in parking at an unsafe location, failing to set out warning devices in accordance with federal regulations, and negligently hiring, training and retaining Fournie.
Leslie White seeks a judgment of more than $50,000 against each defendant. She is represented by attorney Gregory L. Shevlin of Cook, Ysursa, Bartholomew, Brauer & Shevlin in Belleville.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 15-L-562