PALM BEACH — A lawsuit has been filed by the family of a 14-year-old boy who was killed in a car accident with two tractor-trailers.
Jeremiah Warren was one of five children killed on their way to Disney from their home in Louisiana on Jan. 3. The incident took place near Gainsville, Florida.
Joseph Fried of Fried, Rogers, Goldberg, who is representing the Warren family, explained the complexity of this particular situation, given that both truck drivers involved in the crash also were killed in the incident.
"This is a complex case and at this time there are more questions than answers. I am one of a few lawyers nationally who specializes in handling truck crash case cases and I come from a law enforcement background. That is why we filed early," Fried told the Florida Record.
"We filed the case early so that we could be heavily involved in the investigation in hopes to be able to answer both what happened that day on the highway and also to investigate whether there were any systemic problems at the trucking companies that contributed to this crash happening," Fried said.
One of the truck drivers, Steve Holland, had been issued a number of traffic violation tickets from 2000 to 2014 for speeding, unsafe operation and having an overloaded vehicle, all of which is information that may prove itself to be helpful in the investigation.
"The fact that the truckers died in the crash does complicate the case. However, we are hopeful that we can obtain enough data from the systems on the trucks and from the roadway itself to be able to reconstruct the collision and the moments leading up to the collision," Fried said.
While there is still a great deal of information that has yet to be uncovered, Fried is committed to doing the family justice not only legally but also when it comes to their son's legacy.
"The victims want answers, but they also want to make sure that any safety issues that lead to this tragedy are properly addressed. We can’t do anything to undo this terrible crash but we plan to do everything in our power so that nothing like this ever happens again if possible," Fried said. "At this point, it is about finding the truthful answers while allowing the victims to grieve their losses."
The lawsuit was filed in Palm Beach County and names Holland, Eagle Express Lines, Robyn Rattray and Douglas Bolkema as the defendants.