CHARLESTON – A Kanawha County man says he was injured when he was being transported as an inmate by the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Christopher Slater Jr. filed his complaint in Kanawha Circuit Court against the WVDCR as well as corrections officers Eli Desrocher and Roshana Gray.
According to the complaint, Slater says Desrocher and Gray were assigned to transport him from the South Central Regional Jail in Charleston to a facility near Parkersburg on April 1, 2022. He says the two officers openly discussed being behind schedule before leaving the jail.
"Despite cold and adverse weather conditions in Charleston and the surrounding areas, and because defendants Desrocher and Gray were behind schedule, defendant Desrocher began driving at excessive speeds along Corridor G and through Charleston," the complaint states. "Desrocher's negligent and reckless operation of the vehicle while transporting Mr. Slater continued as he drove north on Interstate 77 ... in excess of 80 mph."
Just after 10 a.m. near the Kenna exit, Slater says Desrocher lost control of the vehicle, spun and went across the median. The rear of the vehicle collided with another vehicle traveling southbound and trapped Slater in the back of the vehicle for about 45 minutes before emergency crews were able to extricate him.
The complaint says Slater lost consciousness and was transported to Charleston Area Medical Center. He sustained vertebral, pelvis and sacral fractures as well as traumatic brain injury. He says he continues to suffer physical pain and suffering as well as emotional distress.
The crash report says the weather at the time consisted of sleet, hail or freezing rain and that the road surface was wet.
Slater accuses the defendants of negligence, and he accuses the WVDCR of vicarious liability.
He seeks compensatory damages, pre- and post-judgment interests, court costs, attorney fees and other relief.
Slater is being represented by Robert B. Warner and Nathanial A. Kuratomi of Warner Law Offices in Charleston. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Tera Salango.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number 24-C-38
