A lawsuit alleging negligence and system failure has been filed by the children of Grammy-nominated R&B singer Angie Stone, Diamond Stone and Michael D’Angelo Archer, along with injured passenger Sheila Hopkins, against a truck company, truck manufacturer, and other involved parties. The suit follows a fatal crash on March 1st on I-65 in Montgomery County, Alabama, that resulted in Stone’s death. The legal action, initiated on Tuesday, September 2nd, in Gwinnett County, Georgia, seeks damages for wrongful death, injuries sustained by Hopkins, punitive damages, attorney’s fees, and covering litigation costs related to the incident.
The Fatal Incident
The tragic event unfolded as Angie Stone, 63, her bandmates, and family were traveling in a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van. They were returning to Atlanta from a performance in Mobile, Alabama, when the van driver reportedly lost control. This caused the van to veer off the road and overturn. While the initial rollover was survivable, leaving passengers like Stone able to attempt exiting the vehicle, a subsequent collision proved fatal.
Minutes after the initial accident, a CRST tractor-trailer, allegedly hauling sugar, collided with the overturned van at a speed approaching 70 miles per hour. According to the lawsuit, the truck driver, Jared Wilkinson, did not brake before impact. This resulted in Angie Stone being ejected from the van and pinned underneath it, leading to her death from the injuries sustained. Sheila Hopkins, another passenger in the van, suffered significant injuries as well.
Allegations of Negligence
The lawsuit outlines multiple allegations of negligence against several parties. The van driver is accused of negligence for losing control of the vehicle, leading to the initial accident. Further accusations are leveled against the van owners for negligent hiring and training practices, particularly the allegation that the driver was uninsured. The truck driver, Jared Wilkinson, faces accusations of negligence, including distracted driving due to wearing headphones, failure to maintain a proper lookout, and violations of federal trucking regulations.
Defective Safety System Claim
A significant part of the lawsuit focuses on the safety systems of the tractor-trailer involved. The 2021 Freightliner Cascadia tractor-trailer, manufactured by Daimler Truck North America and equipped with a Detroit Assurance 5.0 collision mitigation system designed by Detroit Diesel Corporation, is alleged to have had a defective safety system. According to the lawsuit, this system failed to detect the stationary overturned van on the road and did not engage the brakes, directly contributing to the high-speed collision.
Legal Recourse and Industry Implications
The filing of this lawsuit raises important questions about driver attentiveness and the reliability of advanced collision avoidance systems in commercial vehicles. The legal action seeks to hold the responsible parties accountable for their alleged negligence and the resulting loss of life and injuries.
Daimler Truck North America has acknowledged the litigation and issued a statement expressing condolences to the victims and their families. However, the company has declined to comment further on the specifics of the pending legal matter. This stance is typical in ongoing litigation, as companies often avoid public statements that could potentially impact the case’s outcome.
Seeking Justice After the Crash
The lawsuit brought by Angie Stone’s children and Sheila Hopkins underscores the devastating consequences of alleged negligence and potential failures in safety systems. The pursuit of damages for wrongful death, injuries, and punitive measures aims to provide some measure of justice and compensation for the losses suffered. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for the trucking industry, particularly regarding driver training, safety protocols, and the implementation and reliability of collision avoidance technology. The legal proceedings will likely involve detailed investigations, expert testimony, and scrutiny of the actions and systems involved in the fatal crash, potentially leading to changes in industry practices and regulations.
