Road Rage Battle: Truckers To Pay $27M

Road Rage Battle: Truckers To Pay $27M

Introduction

The Pendleton jury in Oregon awarded $26.5 million to a family of deceased, who died in a road rage battle.

On June 1, 2016, a driver employed for Utah-based Smoot Brothers Transportation, and a driver employed for IN-based Horizon Transport, were in cat-and-mouse road rage when the victim was driving along in a Ford Focus with her estate. Driver for Utah-based Smoot Brothers Transportation attempted an illegal pass on the two-lane highway and struck the victim's Ford head-on, killing her on the spot and injuring her estate.

Following a nine-day trial, the Pendleton jury granted a verdict in favor of the plaintiffs. The jury awarded the $2.38 million in economic damages and $10 million in noneconomic damages for her death and $600,000 in economic damages and $7 million in noneconomic damages for her estate. The jury also pressed $1.5 million in punitive damages against Smoot Brothers and $5 million in punitive damages against Horizon Transport.