Man Suing Trucking Company

Christina Cole

Contributor

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A husband wants answers regarding the fatal car accident that took his wife's life and he hopes to use a lawsuit to get those answers.

His wife died in October after the driver of an 18-wheeler ran a red light and crashed into her Ford Focus. The car was dragged 150 yards before catching on fire.

The negligence lawsuit, filed in state District Court in Collin County, names as defendants the truck driver, the trucking company and its owner, and two businesses that contracted with the company. The suit says that the driver, Jeremy Davidson, violated several traffic laws and that trucking company owner Billy Keel did not ensure the truck met safety standards and was properly maintained, or that Mr. Davidson was a competent driver.

The lawsuit does not specify an amount but seeks monetary damages.

The driver was employed by Billy Keel Trucking for a mere three days before the accident occurred.

In December, a Collin County grand jury indicted him on manslaughter charges. Currently, he is free on $20,000 bail. A trial date is yet to be determined.

In March 2005, Mr. Davidson was working for Aycock Farms of Anna, in Collin County, when state troopers inspected that truck and noted several violations, including a loose or missing wheel fastener, failure to perform periodic testing of the cargo tank and an expired inspection certificate, state records say.

Mr. Keel previously owned Keel Recovery, which appears to be a towing company. Records for that company show one driver with numerous traffic violations was involved in another accident. No one was injured in that 2002 crash in McKinney. But that driver has a criminal history and eight traffic citations in Collin County between 1999 and 2003, including tickets for an unsecured load and out-of-adjustment brakes and a conviction for driving while intoxicated.