On May 10, 2015, Jenna M. Boyd was the driver of a 2006 Honda Element and Geoffrey J. Goldhamer was the driver of a 2016 Ford Fusion, according to a complaint filed May 12 in Monongalia Circuit Court.
Barbara Goldhamer and David Goldhamer, Geoffrey Goldhamer’s siblings, claim Boyd was traveling southbound on Interstate 79 toward mile marker 159.50 in Monongalia County, while Geoffrey Goldhamer was traveling northbound on Interstate 79 toward mile marker 159.50.
The travel lanes for I-79 near mile marker 159.50 are mostly straight with a slight curve and they are separated by a grass median with a “pit” style construction, according to the suit.
The plaintiffs claim Boyd was exceeding the posted speed limit of 70 miles per hour and was passing other vehicles at speeds approximated at 80 to 85 mph and was text messaging and/or operating a cellular telephone while driving, when she crossed the yellow painted center line, drove onto the “warning bumps” and was observed jerking back into the southbound travel lane.
Boyd’s vehicle was then observed traveling back to the left, all the way through the median and struck Geoffrey Goldhamer’s vehicle head-on, according to the suit.
The plaintiffs claim the collision caused substantial damage to both vehicles and the severity of the impact caused Geoffrey Goldhamer to be entrapped in his vehicle.
Police were summoned to the scene and a criminal complaint was later filed against Boyd. The fire department arrived to extricate Geoffrey Goldhamer from his vehicle and he was transported to Ruby Memorial Hospital’s emergency department, according to the suit.
The plaintiffs claim Geoffrey Goldhamer experienced cardiac arrest by the time he arrived at the hospital and at the hospital, CPR and epinephrine were administered without success. He was pronounced dead at 2:41 p.m.
Boyd had a duty not to create an unreasonable risk of harm to others and in doing so, she caused Geoffrey Goldhamer’s premature and wrongful death, according to the suit.
The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory damages with pre- and post-judgment interest. They are being represented by Trent A. Echard of Strassburger McKenna Gutnick & Gefsky.
Monongalia Circuit Court case number: 16-C-284
