TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas — A man has filed a $100 million lawsuit against Amazon Logistics, ZBN Transport and a truck driver following a deadly 18-vehicle crash on I-35 last week.
Nathan C. Jonard filed the lawsuit Thursday in Travis County District Court against the companies and the driver, Solomun Weldekeal Araya. The lawsuit claims Jonard sustained severe injuries when an 18-wheeler crashed into stopped traffic on March 13.
The lawsuit alleges Araya was “impaired by drugs and recklessly wielding a multi-ton tractor-trailer” when he failed to slow down for stopped traffic.
According to an arrest affidavit, Araya was arrested and charged with five counts of intoxication manslaughter and two counts of intoxication assault. Police determined he was “impaired by CNS depressants” when he crashed into multiple vehicles without braking.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Affidavit: Truck driver in deadly I-35 crash may have been impaired by CNS depressants
The lawsuit claims Araya had “multiple previous hours-of-service violations and prior hazardous moving violations while operating commercial vehicles” and that both Amazon and ZBN Transport failed in their duty to properly vet, train and supervise him.
Jonard’s lawsuit states he suffered multiple broken ribs, a dissected artery in his neck requiring surgery, a herniated disc and deep lacerations across his body in the crash.
At the time of the crash, Araya was hauling Amazon cargo and had worked for ZBN Transport for four months, according to the court filing.
The lawsuit seeks damages for medical expenses, pain and suffering, mental anguish, physical disfigurement, lost wages and loss of earning capacity.
“We are proud to represent Mr. Jonard and his family,” Jonard’s attorney Brad Beckworth said in a statement. “And we are grateful for the heroic work of the Austin Fire Department and other first responders who helped save lives. This is a tragedy for all involved. And perhaps the most tragic part of it is that it was completely avoidable.”
“When we see tragedies like this happen right near the Capitol—tragedies that take the lives of 5 people, including children, and forever change the lives of the more than dozen other people who were injured, you just have to wonder why a legislator would ever turn his or her back on the ordinary men and women they are supposed to be serving and instead choose to protect big corporations. Hopefully, when legislators see facts like we are dealing with here they will think twice before they choose big corporations who are trying to take away our right to a trial by jury,” Beckworth said.
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