Devastated by deadly grain truck crash, Viola husband who lost wife, kids sues
A Viola man whose wife, three children and stepdaughter were killed when a semitruck ran a stop sign in southwestern Sedgwick County last month has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the truck driver and his employer.
The Oct. 2 suit is the second filed against Andrew Specht and Wellington-based L.B. White Trucking Inc. over the Sept. 25 deaths of Jessica Noel, 32; Anaiah Brady, 10; Jeffrey Thompson III, 4; Mack Thompson, 23 months; and 4-month-old Hank Thompson. The family was out on a shopping trip with their dog when their SUV collided with Specht’s truck and snapped in half, killing all but the 23-month-old instantly. Mack died later at the hospital.
Jeffrey Williams is seeking more than $75,000 in damages as Noel’s surviving spouse and the Thompson children’s surviving parent. The paternal grandparents of Anaiah Brady, whose biological father died in 2012, filed their own wrongful death lawsuit on Sept. 29.
Williams’ lawsuit accuses Specht and L.B. White Trucking Inc. of negligence in the fatal crash. Specht, a 31-year-old Argonia man, was “traveling more than the posted speed limit or traveling at an otherwise reckless speed” when he ran a stop sign posted at the intersection of 71st South and 263rd West and slammed into Noel’s Ford Expedition, the lawsuit alleges.
“At all times relevant, Jessica Noel had the right of way and operated her vehicle in a reasonably, prudent manner with due regard for her and her passengers’ safety,” the lawsuit says.
“Specht had a duty to operate his grain truck in a safe and prudent manner” and in accordance with trucking industry standards “so as not to endanger the lives and welfare of the decedents and the motoring public,” the lawsuit says.
He failed by not “keeping a proper lookout ahead, paying attention, following traffic laws and control devices, including signs, and operating .... at a reasonable and prudent speed.” The suit also contends Specht failed to “manage his space,” “avoid a potential hazard” and “drive defensively.”
L.B. White Trucking is liable because Specht “was acting within the course and scope of his employment” and was driving a company-owned or controlled vehicle at the time of the crash, the lawsuit argues.
“As an employer and Motor Carrier, Defendant L.B. White Trucking, Inc. had a duty to act reasonably in connection with the hiring, qualifying, training, entrusting, supervising and retaining” of Specht but “breached the aforementioned duties and was negligent.”
Specht could not be reached by phone Friday and did not return Facebook messages asking for an interview. No one answered a business number listed for L.B. White Trucking Inc. on Friday afternoon and a phone message went unreturned.
Neither had an attorney listed in court records in either wrongful death case.
Reached by The Eagle late last month after the first lawsuit was filed, the trucking company’s owner, Ronald White, declined to comment but called the deadly crash “a tragedy.”
Noel’s husband and the children’s father “is devastated,” the Georgia-based attorney who filed the latest wrongful death suit said by email.
“He lost his wife, kids and even the family dog in this crash,” Joseph Fried wrote, referring to Williams. “He is a very good man and he is fighting to just breathe right now and be the best father he can be for his sole surviving daughter.”
Fried said Williams is “grateful for the incredible community support” — a GoFundMe account has raised more than $97,000 for funeral and medical expenses — but is “struggling to understand why something like this happened.”
“He misses his wife and kids so much. He feels totally overwhelmed,” Fried wrote, adding:
“We will get to the bottom of what happened and why it happened. Jeff needs to know. The Wichita community deserves to know. We will hold those who are responsible fully accountable.”
This story was originally published October 10, 2020 at 5:57 AM.
