The family of a woman who was run over and killed at a car wash by an employee has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the car wash”s corporate owner.
A surveillance video shows a woman get hit by an SUV as she crosses a car wash parking lot pushing a stroller.
A jury is to decide this week if the tragic event was a freak accident, or if it resulted from negligence on the part of the car wash.
What Happened?
Brenda Lee Brown, 43, was pushing her son in a stroller across a Town ?N Country Car Wash when an Isuzu Rodeo started to roll in her direction. An employee jumped into the car, and suddenly, the car lunged forward. At the last second, Brown pushed the stroller out of harm”s way, but the Rodeo hit her.
Brown died of her injuries on Mother”s Day, two days later.
The employee who was in the car when it hit Brown, Densil Blake, 50, does not face any criminal charges.
According to the defense”s official report, Blake was wiping down the interior of the rodeo when he accidentally shifted the vehicle”s transmission into drive. The SUV began to roll forward. Blake jumped into the car and hit the gas pedal instead of the brake pedal on accident, which caused the car to surge into Brown.
Blake said later that he panicked.
The lawsuit said, ?Mrs. Brown was catapulted into the air, onto the hood of the sports utility vehicle and ultimately thrown to the ground.?
Evidence Withheld?
Authorities did not have the video during their first investigation. The man who operates the car wash did not tell investigators that such a tape existed, court documents claim. This warrants punitive damages, the plaintiffs say.
The lawsuit claims that the car wash used a faulty design that forced people to walk in front of cars as they got out of the washing line, and that they employed negligent drivers.
If you or a loved one has sustained a serious injury at no fault of your own, please contact us today for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney who can help you recoup the losses you may be eligible to recover.