A lawsuit has been filed stemming from a truck versus pedestrian collision earlier this year that killed a well-known Sierra Vista golf professional along a busy state highway.
Troy Eadler died at the scene after being hit by a Mac Tools box truck around 6 am on Feb. 4 near an intersection on State Route 92. His death is now the subject of a wrongful death lawsuit filed Nov. 8 on behalf of Eadler’s toddler-aged son against the driver, William L. Priest, and Priest Family LLC dba Mac Tools.
Eadler, 45, was wearing dark clothes while standing along the shoulder of the roadway when investigators say he “ran out” in front of the truck, a spokesman for the Arizona Department of Public Safety said after the accident. The spokesman also said at that time Priest was not being cited but noted the investigation was ongoing.
A review of Arizona public court records on Wednesday shows no traffic citations under Priest’s name.
In the days after the fatality, an attorney for Eadler’s family pushed back against claims that suicide may have been involved. The family also contended the flashlight feature of Eadler’s cellphone was activated and that some of Eadler’s clothing was reflective.
The lawsuit filed by the mother of Eadler’s son alleges Priest breached his duties of ordinary care by a driver by negligently driving in a reckless manner, maintaining an unsafe distance from other vehicles, keeping an improper lookout, travelling at an unreasonable speed given the circumstances, making an untimely and improper application of his brakes, taking improper evasive actions to avoid the collision, and choosing to violate safety rules.
And the lawsuit seeks to hold Priest Family LLC responsible for the driver’s action under the legal theories of Respondeat Superior and Negligent Hiring, Training, and Supervision given that the accident allegedly happened while Priest was “in the course and scope of his employment.”
The mother seeks an award of actual damages on behalf of her son as well as “other relief the Court determines is just under the circumstances.” The case has been assigned to Judge John Kelliher. The defendants will have 20 days to file a formal answer once formal service is performed.
