CHARLESTON – A Seth woman who was in her motorized wheelchair when she was struck and dragged down the street at a Charleston intersection by a vehicle driven by a Coca-Cola employee alleges the driver failed to maintain control of his vehicle.
Rose Payne filed a complaint in Kanawha Circuit Court against Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated and William Richardson alleging negligence
Payne alleges she was sitting in her electric wheelchair waiting to cross at the intersection of Washington Street East and Court Street in Charleston on Oct. 11, 2017, when Richardson, a Coca-Cola employee, struck her wheelchair and dragged it over the sidewalk and down the road with his vehicle. Payne alleges she suffered "severe and permanent injuries" as a result of Richardson's negligence.
She alleges Richardson failed to bring his vehicle to a stop, failed to maintain control and failed to perform any crash avoidance maneuver.
Payne seeks compensatory damages, a trial by jury and all other just relief. She is represented by Charles Johnstone of Johnstone & Gabhart LLP in Charleston.
The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Tod Kaufman.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number 19-C-1003
