Family of Oklahoma truck driver files lawsuit over fatal accident in California

By Jim Greene

Published on December 05, 2005

A lawsuit against the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and the state has been filed by the family of an Oklahoma truck driver who was killed last year at the scene of a truck accident near Lodi, California.

Driver Roger Meeker was involved in a minor collision with another vehicle on Oct. 3, 2004, but was killed by a passing tractor-trailer when he jumped into traffic lanes to avoid an approaching tow truck. In their suit, his family places the majority of the fault for his wrongful death with the CHP, accusing them of not properly managing the scene of the original accident. Also named are the driver of the truck that struck Meeker, and the owners and the driver of the tow truck.

The suit, filed by Meeker's mother, Katherine Meeker, accuses CHP officers of not properly marking the accident scene with warning cones or flares to protect the scene and alert approaching traffic. According to a family attorney, Meeker got out of his truck to check on the other driver.

According to a CHP report, tow truck driver Mark Bedford said the accident scene was dark when he responded to the call, and he had to swerve to avoid hitting Meeker, who was standing in the right lane. Meeker mistakenly jumped away from the side of the road and into the middle lane, where he was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer driven by Mohammed Al Ismadl.

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