EAST ST. LOUIS - A truck driver claims another man operating a tractor trailer failed to stop in construction zone traffic, causing a collision.
Plaintiffs Mark and Vicki Penning filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois against CAT. Inc., Ryder Truck Rental Canada, LTD, and employee Alexandre Bourcier, citing negligence and carelessness.
According to the lawsuit, Bourcier was employed by CAT and Ryder as a truck driver. He was acting as their agent while operating a tractor trailer on Oct. 1, 2020, and was heading southbound on Interstate 57 in Jefferson County. At the same time, Mark Penning was also operating a tractor trailer on the same road. Bourcier was approaching a construction zone that had caused traffic to come to a complete stop. However, Penning claims Bourcier failed to stop in time and rear-ended Penning's vehicle.
Penning claims he was struck with such force that he was thrown about the inside of his vehicle. The lawsuit adds that Bourcier was using a cell phone at the time of the collision and received a citation for the crash.
Mark Penning claims he has suffered serious injuries to various parts of his body that have caused him to experience pain and suffering. He adds that his injuries have caused him to lose wages and will affect his ability to earn income in the future. Vicki Penning alleges that as a result of the collision, she has been deprived of her husband's consortium and support.
The plaintiffs are seeking damages in excess of $75,000, plus court costs, interest and any other relief the court deems proper. They are represented in this case by the attorneys of Reinoehl Kehlenbrink LLC in Arnold, Mo.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois case number 22-CV-2241