Texas Jury Awards $44M to Family of Man Killed in Semi Crash
Jury Says Truck Being Operated by Prime Driver Was Traveling Too Fast in Weather Conditions When It Slammed Into Victim's Vehicle
Key Takeaways:
- A Dallas County jury awarded $44 million to a man's family after a Prime Inc. 18-wheeler rear-ended his truck during a Feb. 11, 2021, ice storm.
- Jurors ordered $24.1 million compensatory and $20 million punitive damages, finding the truck traveled too fast for conditions and the truck driver lacked adequate winter training.
- The verdict followed a two-week trial in Dallas County's 44th District Court over the death of Christopher Ray Vardy, 49.
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ADallas County, Texas, jury last week awarded $44 million in damages to the family of a man killed when his truck was rear-ended by an 18-wheeler during the 2021 winter ice storm that devastated the entire state.
The jury ordered Springfield, Mo.-based trucking company Prime Inc.to pay $24.1 million in compensatory damages and $20 million in punitive damages for theFeb. 11, 2021, death ofChristopher Ray Vardy, according to a statement provided by the family’s attorney, Frank L.Branson. The verdict came at the end of a two-week trial in the44th District Court, according to a spokesman forBranson.
Vardy, 49, ofBoyd, was stopped on the southbound side of the TEXpress section ofInterstate 35that morning due to other crashes in front of him, the statement said.
The jury determined that a semi-truck being operated by a Prime driver was traveling too fast under the weather conditions when it slammed into the back of Vardy’s truck, the statement said.
The jury ordered Prime to pay $24.1 million in compensatory damages and $20 million in punitive damages for theFeb. 11, 2021, death ofChristopher Ray Vardy. (John Sommers II for Transport Topics)
“Evidence presented during the trial showed that trucking operator New Prime Inc.’s driver,Steven Ridder, did not receive adequate winter weather driving training and failed to exercise extreme caution in hazardous weather,”Bransonsaid in the statement. “Trucking companies have the obligation to make sure their big rigs are being operated safely, which means taking extra precautions during extreme weather conditions, given the enormous size and weight of these vehicles.”
Prime Inc. ranks No. 19 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest for-hire carriers in North America.
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