Dallas M. Hartman and Patrick L. Sullivan filed a lawsuit last Friday on behalf of the family of 19-year-old Alissa Jones, who died after being hit by a tractor-trailer on June 30, 2019, in West Pittsburg.  The accident was witnessed by Alissa’s father and sister and occurred in a parking lane in front of their house in West Pittsburg.  Alissa was rushed to the hospital and succumbed to her injuries two days later.

The driver of the truck, Robert L. Hodge, did not stop after he hit Alissa and her father’s car and fled the scene.  It is believed that Hodge then drove the rig to 215 Gilmore Road in North Beaver Township, which is the principal place of business for Ag Central, HAMCO, and Better Equipment, and hid the truck behind the silos on the back of the property between and behind other large vehicles and machines.  It is also believed that knowing that the defendants used the truck for deliveries on July 3, 2019—even while knowing the truck, trailer, and all of the electronic data they contain were evidence.

“I never had the pleasure of meeting Alissa Jones but by all intents and purposes, she was a wonderful person. She was an outstanding high school student, had the scholarship to go to college, was an ROTC girl, and very active in the community. She has a wonderful family, including her mom in West Virginia and dad in West Pittsburg, and she was taken from them far too early because of the reckless conduct of the defendants outlined in our Complaint,” according to Dallas M. Hartman.

“This case is about holding those who were responsible for the death of Alissa accountable. The conduct here is nothing short of reckless. That reckless conduct starts with the driver and carries on to the motor carrier, the broker, and the other entities involved in this transaction of interstate commerce,” said Hartman.

For more information, please read the complete Complaint number CA 2019-10853.