LOGAN COUNTY, Ark. — The family of a boy who died in a crash with an 18 wheeler have filed a legal complaint against Marten Transport Services (Marten), as well as the Keith Gaynor, the driver involved with the crash, who has been arrested and charged with manslaughter.
According to the Logan County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO), the crash happened on Friday, Jan. 13 in northeastern Logan County between Scranton and Morrison Bluff.
The following are direct statements made within the civil complaint:
- Behind the façade of Marten’s purported claims inhabits an empty shell of management, with policies that are nonexistent
- For example, a former employee of Marten stated that … “policies are all over the place, one day you’re following rules, next you’re not. Don’t walk away from this job— RUN.”
- Marten Transport, LTD had at least 602 unsafe driving violations in the two years prior to May 26, 2023, and had at least 314 total crashes in the same time period
- Gaynor’s life was spiraling out of control, as evidenced by his legal problems, financial problems, and his deadly decision to consume alcohol while on the job
- Gaynor had a blood alcohol content of .06 at the time of the crash, and was only allowed to be at .04
- Since at least 2017, Gaynor has made poor financial and legal decisions; as a result, he has four recent default judgements against him in the state of Arkansas
- Additionally, Gaynor had chosen to drive without his glasses, admitting that he “couldn’t see too well”
- Data from Marten’s truck, driven by gaynor, shows that Gaynor sped up to more than thirty miles per hour over the warning speed, a speed that his loaded trailer could not handle, before heading into the curve where the crash occured
- Gaynor was warned of the sharpness and impending danger of the curve, with the need to slow to 30 miles per hour
- With his blood alcohol content of at least .06, Gaynor ramped up his speed with his loaded trailer to more than 65 miles per hour as he approached the sharp curve
According to the complaint, the family is demanding a jury trial and damages under the grounds listed above, along with others. The document also alleges the crash to be a “case of ordinary negligence, negligent training, negligent supervision, recklessness, injury, and wrongful death as a result of conduct constituting a felony.”
The family remembers the boy who died as a “bright, fun-loving, family-oriented teenager who was loved and adored by his friends, family, and community.”
5NEWS will update this article with more information as it becomes available.
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