Woman says Twin Silos employee under influence of alcohol caused car accident

HUNTINGTON -- A woman is suing Twin Silos at Lavalette after she claims one of its employees caused a car accident while he was under the influence of alcohol.

Colton Hatfield, an employee of Twin Silos, was also named as a defendant in the suit.

On Sept. 26, 2010, Sharon Counts was a passenger in a vehicle traveling westbound on U.S. 60 in Milton when Hatfield, who was under the influence of alcohol, crossed the center line and crashed head-on into the vehicle, knocking it off the roadway and into a guardrail, according to a complaint filed Sept. 26 in Cabell Circuit Court.

Counts claims Hatfield was acting in the scope of his employment at the time of the accident.

Twin Silos negligently entrusted the vehicle to Hatfield, according to the suit.

Counts claims Hatfield the defendants were guilty of gross, reckless and wanton misconduct in the entrustment, use and operation of the vehicle Hatfield was driving.

As a direct result of the defendants’ negligence, Counts suffered injuries of a personal and pecuniary nature, including medical expenses; pain and suffering; physical and emotional injury; and vocational expenses, according to the suit.

Counts is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. She is being represented by Michael L. Myers.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge F. Jane Hustead.

Cabell Circuit Court case number: 12-C-647