Trucking Company Sued in Oklahoma Crash that Killed Four College Teammates

The Law Offices of Frank L. Branson representing teenager injured in fatal wreck

DALLAS – The Law Offices of Frank L. Branson in Dallas has filed a negligence lawsuit on behalf of a 19-year-old college student who was critically injured when a distracted tractor-trailer driver collided with the van carrying her and other members of a college softball team last month in Oklahoma. Four young women were killed and others were injured.

The lawsuit was filed against Nashville, Tennessee-based Quickway Transportation Inc. and truck driver Russell Wayne Staley of Saginaw, Texas, on behalf of North Central Texas College student Rachel Hitt. The legal filing says Quickway was negligent in its hiring, training and supervision of Mr. Staley prior to the Sept. 26 crash.

According to investigators, Mr. Staley claimed he was distracted by something in the cab of his 18-wheeler before veering across the center median and striking the team’s van in the southbound lane on Interstate 35 south of Oklahoma City.

“This lawsuit was filed to provide relief and support for this young woman and to make sure the public knows exactly how this tragedy occurred,” says attorney Frank L. Branson, founder of The Law Offices of Frank L. Branson. “This was a preventable crash, and we are committed to making sure that Quickway takes responsibility for the safety shortcomings that have now affected so many lives.”

The lawsuit demands that Quickway immediately preserve and disclose evidence related to the fatal crash, including Mr. Staley’s employment and safety records, drug  and alcohol test results, driving records, and internal investigations. The case filed in Tarrant County District Court is Rachel Hitt v. Quickway Transportation Inc. and Russell Wayne Staley, No. 067-274841-14.

The Law Offices of Frank L. Branson maintains a reputation for courtroom excellence based on significant verdicts and settlements for clients in high-stakes personal injury cases and business disputes. The firm’s record verdicts and recoveries stem from cases involving trucking and transportation injuries, product liability, construction accidents, commercial plane crashes, explosions and burns caused by gas and electric power utilities, medical negligence, workplace catastrophes and professional negligence and business torts. Visit https://flbranson.com to learn more.

For more information on the lawsuit, please contact Robert Tharp at 800-559-4534 or robert@androvett.com.