EDWARDSVILLE - Madison County jurors returned a defense verdict in a suit involving a collision with a mini bike on Halloween night in 2015.
The jury reached a verdict in favor of defendant James Perry on June 14, following a three-day trial in Circuit Judge Chris Threlkeld’s courtroom.
Perry was represented at trial by St. Louis attorney Cheryl Callis.
Plaintiff Bobbie Highsmith III was represented by Alton attorney Craig Jensen.
The lawsuit was filed on July 15, 2016, following an incident on Oct. 31, 2015. Highsmith was allegedly riding or pushing a mini bike to his grandparents’ home when the accident occurred at 11:23 p.m.
Highsmith testified that he purchased the mini bike six months before the incident, but it allegedly didn’t run. Highsmith allegedly left at 11 p.m. on Halloween night to work on the bike at his grandparents’ house.
Prior to the trial, Highsmith filed a motion to exclude testimony regarding alcohol at trial. Perry filed a brief in opposition to the motion on June 6.
He argued that a blood draw was performed at Barnes Jewish Hospital, and Highsmith’s blood alcohol concentration was .203. The opposition states that the plaintiff’s BAC at the time of the incident would have been four times the legal limit.
Madison County Circuit Court case number 16-L-1010