Widow, Construction Company Reach Settlement in Negligence Suit

By Richard Seward

Published on March 14, 2007

Josephine Romaine and her husband Robert were traveling with two others in a car that drove off a boat ramp and into the river during a rainstorm in October 2003. Romaine, another occupant, and the car's driver were able to escape, but Romaine's husband died in the accident.

In a 2005 lawsuit, Romaine alleged that Lester’s Construction Co. did not post adequate signage to detour traffic away from the boat ramp.

At the time of the accident, Lester’s Construction was working on the local wastewater collection system. The project required construction to be performed near where the road ended and turned into the boat ramp. Lester’s Construction’s contract with the county included responsibility for controlling traffic along the road where the company worked.

An earlier lawsuit in which Romaine alleged that Citrus County was negligent for failing to properly warn motorists of the boat ramp was settled more than a year and a half ago.

Citrus County subsequently installed warning signs and red reflectors near the boat ramp.

Details of both settlements were undisclosed.

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