WEST VIRGINIA RECORD

WINFIELD -- A Scott Depot man is suing Sentinel Transportation and one of its employees after he was injured in a car accident.

James L. Harper, an employee of Sentinel Transportation, was the individual named in the suit.

On Jule 22, 2010, Harper, during the course of his employment with Sentinel, attempted to perform an illegal turn through the median of Interstate-64, which resulted in the tractor trailer blocking two lanes of traffic on the roadway, according to a complaint filed Oct. 11 in Putnam Circuit Court.

Duong Tang claims he was behind the tractor trailer and was unable to see the vehicle and did not have time to stop his vehicle upon realizing that the tractor trailer was blocking his lane of traffic, causing him to collide with the tractor trailer and become injured.

Harper knew or should have known that attempting an illegal turn through the median on the interstate was likely to create a dangerous condition for other persons traveling on the roadway, according to the suit.

Tang claims due to the force and severity of the collision, he lost consciousness, sustained severe injuries and was transported by ambulance to the emergency department at St. Mary's Medical Center.

Upon investigation of the collision by the responding police officer, Harper was issued a citation for illegally crossing the median, according to the suit.

Tang is seeking compensatory damages. He is being represented by Charles M. Johnstone and Jamie F. Little.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge O.C. Spaulding.

Putnam Circuit Court case number: 11-C-292