Family of truck driver killed in fiery crash files federal lawsuit

Published 7:00 am Saturday, August 3, 2024

MACON, Ga. — Family members of a Milledgeville truck driver killed in a fiery crash in Wilkinson County earlier this year have filed a federal lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia in Macon.

The plaintiffs in the case were identified as Brittney Wilson and Shemeka Wilson, according to court records obtained by The Union-Recorder.

Brittany Wilson is listed as next of kin and the executor of the estate of crash victim Randal Bernard Wilson. Shemeka Wilson, also listed as a relative, has filed a claim as a result of personal injury and wrongful death.

The two are relatives of the 61-year-old Wilson, who died May 21 when the driver of another tractor-trailer truck slammed into his truck at an intersection in Wilkinson County.

The defendants in the case are the truck driver cited as being at fault, Navneet Singh of California, WRCH Transport Inc. of Fresno, California, and Security National Insurance Company.

“Defendant Singh was operating under the motor common carrier license, shield and authorization of defendant WRCH Transport at all pertinent times to this complaint, and defendant WRCH Transport’s authorization, shield and DOT (Department of Transportation) number were displayed on the tractor at the time of this collision,” according to the lawsuit. 

The insurance company covered the trucking company with a policy of liability, court records show. The policy was written and provided to protect the public against injury to person and property “proximately” caused by the negligence of such carrier, its servants and agents.

The lawsuit contends that Singh was the agent, servant and employee of the trucking company and was acting within the scope of employment at the time of the collision.

“Any negligence on the part of defendant Singh is imputable to defendant WRCH Transport by virtue of vicarious liability, respondent superior, as well as the laws of agency in Georgia,” according to the civil action.

On May 21, 2024, Randal Wilson was operating a 1999 Freightliner Conventional about 3:33 p.m. He was traveling northbound on Ga. Highway 29.

Singh, who was driving a 2020 Freightliner Conventional, was traveling westbound on Ga. Highway 112. He was approaching the intersection of Ga. Highway 29 in Wilkinson County.

“Defendant Singh was traveling too fast for conditions and failed to stop at the stop sign at the intersection,” according to the lawsuit.

Singh entered Wilson’s lane of travel and “violently and forcefully” collided with Wilson’s tractor-trailer, causing it to catch fire and further causing Wilson to burn alive.

The lawsuit contends Wilson’s death was directly caused by the defendants.

Singh’s actions, according to the lawsuit, “show willful misconduct, malice, fraud, wantonness, oppression or that entire want of care, which would raise the presumption of conscious indifference to consequences so as to entitle plaintiff and the general public to punitive damages.”

Plaintiffs Brittney Wilson and Shemeka Wilson are requiring the defendants to appear and answer their complaint.

The plaintiffs also are seeking a trial by jury in federal court.

In addition, they are seeking judgement against the defendants for special, general and punitive damages. They are also seeking punitive damages and that legal fees be assessed against the defendants.

The lawsuit was filed June 28 by the plaintiffs’ attorneys, Katherine L. McArthur, Jessica A. Edmonds, and Quintesha S. Reynolds of McArthur Law Firm in Macon.