A wrongful death lawsuit has recently been settled in Kandiyohi County, Missouri. David and Susie Frank died on July 12, 2015, after Matthew Gingery drove through a stop sign. Gingery should have yielded to David and Susie, but did not. “According to court records, Gingery did not have alcohol in his system at the time of the crash, was not speeding and had not been texting or on the phone. Phone records indicate he called 911 right after the collision.” Gingery will pay $16,666.67 to six members of the Frank family (five of their children and David’s brother), for a total of $100,000.
David and Susie’s daughter, Deborah Jennings, said, “My parents were really just people who would want us to forgive, but we aren’t ever going to forget.”
Gingery worked as an electrician at an oil refinery. The day he ran into David and Susie Frank, Gingery was headed to a new area in town for work purposes and reported to authorities that he was unfamiliar with the area.
This is not the first crash to occur in this particular intersection. Over Labor Day weekend in 2012, a woman died in a car crash. Improving the safety of the intersection has been an ongoing project. Several residents and drivers have called the Public Works Department since the collision in hopes that a stronger effort will be put forth to ensure safety. The Kandiyohi County Public Works Department, in 2016, enlarged the stop sign and added a white stop bar to increase visibility. Mel Odens, director of the Public Works, said that “Public Works will continue to monitor the intersection and said the agency is following a recommended progression of steps.”
There is no amount of money that can make up for a lost one after a tragedy. Hopefully, after the outcome of the lawsuit, the public will see stronger efforts to make transportation safer.
For more information, follow the links below:
http://www.wctrib.com/news/local/3812926-family-confronts-grief-wake-couples-death