On the evening of August 8, 2022, a truck carrying excavation equipment collided with an overpass on I-25, at Weld County Road 34. A large chunk of concrete broke off the overpass. Megan Arneson, a Loveland preschool teacher, was driving home from a waterpark with her son; she swerved left to avoid the falling debris, but a large piece of concrete fell through her windshield and struck her. Her Honda-CRV crashed into the center median.
Ms. Arneson died at the scene; her 10-year-old son was pulled from the car with the help of two witnesses. He is now in the care of Arneson’s parents, who are seeking damages to cover funeral expenses, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and impairment of quality of life, as well as their grandson’s medical care.
CBS Report On I-25 Fatal Crash
The defendants are driver Darnell Yingling and his employer, Import Towing and Recovery, a trucking carrier based out of Fort Collins, Colorado. According to CBS News, the wrongful death lawsuit states that the company and its driver behaved “recklessly and negligently” by failing to ensure the excavator was properly secured before departure. The driver also failed to note the maximum clearance height for an overpass.
The maximum clearance height for the overpass at Weld County Road 34 is 17 feet, 1 inch. To be in compliance with FMCSA regulations, vehicles over the height of 14 feet need a special permit; the defendant did not have appropriate licensure at the time of the accident, according to Colorado State Patrol. The driver may face charges, as may his employer, for failing to monitor his licensure status and cargo height.
“Our daughter was a very bright light in this world and a fantastic mother to her wonderful 10-year-old son,” parents Brian Keith Christianson and Mirella Isabel Williams said in a statement. “We believe that her violent and traumatic death was completely preventable and we want to do everything in our power to make sure that this never happens to anyone else.”
Import Towing and Recovery declined to comment on the lawsuit, or on the driver’s current status as an employee of the company.
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At the Law Offices of Peter M. Anderson, we fight for Colorado motorists seeking justice after a motor vehicle crash. We have over 20 years of experience in personal injury law, including car accidents, truck crashes, and incidents involving motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrian injury. We offer free consultations and case evaluations for those who have been seriously injured in auto accidents. Feel free to contact us at 303-444-1505 or via e-mail at terra@attorneyanderson.com