Woman claims wrecker wrecked her vehicle

CHARLESTON - A Charleston woman is suing the owner of Lyon's Trucking and Towing over an incident on Interstate 79 that occurred in February 2004.

Selena Maria Mendez claims that a wrecker owned by the company and driven by Mark Alen Owens left its lane on Feb. 3, 2004, and collided with her vehicle near the Frame Road exit, causing her several physical and emotional hardships.

Mendez, who is represented by attorney Douglas Witten, is seeking compensatory damages for those hardships from John T. Lyons, owner of Lyon's Trucking and Towing.

She filed the lawsuit Feb. 1 in Kanawha Circuit Court. She lists "John T. Lyons, individual as owner of Lyon's Trucking and Towing, a sole proprietorship and/or a corporation and/or a partnership, et. al" as the defendant.

In the suit, Mendez claims that she "suffered injuries to her neck, head, side, back, legs, internal organs" and demands to be compensated for her medical costs, as well as wages lost as a result of the injuries leaving her unable to work.

The suit also notes her emotional pain caused by the wreck.

"Mendez was caused to suffer the loss of her future earning capacity, was caused to change her lifestyle, was caused to lose the normal enjoyment of life, and all her injuries and damages are both temporary and permanent in nature."

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Tod Kaufman.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 06-C-172