BELLEVILLE – A wrongful death suit involving a fatal crash in January alleges the driver who struck the deceased was under the influence of Alprazolam, morphine and cocaine at the time of the crash.
Gail Ward, administrator of estate of Tamika Thorton, deceased, and C'Mia Thomas, deceased, filed a complaint on July 20 in the St. Clair County Circuit Court against Eric L. Eiskant and Richland Auto Sales Inc., alleging the defendants violated the Illinois Wrongful Death Act.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on Jan. 20, Tamika Thorton was operating a motor vehicle with C'Mia Thomas as a passenger in a westerly direction on Illinois Route 50 when Eiskant, who was operating a vehicle owned by Richland Auto Sales, collided with Thorton's vehicle. The suit states Thorton and Thomas died as a result of their injuries.
Ward alleges Eiskant failed to keep a safe and proper lookout for other vehicles on the highway and drove the motor vehicle while under the influence of Alprazolam, morphine and cocaine and other substances.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks judgment for an amount exceeding $50,000 as will fully and adequately compensate for damages and for costs of suit.
She is represented by John Baricevic of Chatham and Baricevic in Belleville.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 17-L-383