Family suing company and driver with cracked brake drum for crash that killed teenage son

The family of a teenage boy killed in a crash involving a semi truck with a cracked brake drum is suing the company and driver for the accident. 

The crash happened on July 20th in the northbound lanes of I-75 near mile marker 83 in Madison County, Kentucky. 

According to Lexington Herald Leader, a semi truck driven by David Turner was heading north on I-75 when he  “recklessly and viciously” crashed into the back of a Silverado pickup truck driven by the father of 16-year-old Tristan. The force of the collision caused the pickup to “violently spin out of control” and collide with another tractor trailer. Tristan was ejected from the pickup truck, while his father and younger sister were severely injured. All three were taken to a nearby hospital, where Tristan later died. The surviving family members say their injuries have “forever changed their lives for the worse.”

The accident occurred in a high traffic area with roadwork with multiple warning signals and signs cautioning drivers about potential road hazards. The suit alleges that Turner was “visually, physically, and/or cognitively distracted” at the time of the crash, and did not touch the brakes in the 30 seconds leading up to the collision. Both Turner and Hills Trucking Company are named in the suit. 

The lawsuit also claims that the tractor trailer had a cracked brake drum before the crash occurred, and that Turner had a “dangerous driving and criminal record.” his record includes charges for drinking in public, possession of open alcoholic beverages in a vehicle, speeding, reckless driving, and operating commercial vehicles while unqualified.

“This tragic case illustrates the dangers of distracted driving and the devastation it can cause,” said attorney Jon Hollan in the statement. “At this time, the Kentucky State Police continue to diligently investigate the crash and my clients continue to trust the process of KSP’s investigative work.”

“It is our hope that the spotlight upon the ongoing litigation and Tristan’s memory will drive safer practices for trucking companies and their drivers across Kentucky and beyond, as no family should endure such preventable devastation,” he continued.

The lawsuit is seeking an unspecified monetary compensation for damages and a jury trial.