Illinois Truck Accident Lawsuit Settled For $6.5M

The family of an Illinois woman killed in an accident caused by a truck driver who was high on marijuana, will receive $6.7 million to settle a wrongful death and personal injury lawsuit.  

The truck accident lawsuit was filed by the family of Tabitha Carroll, 32, who was killed on Halloween 2008. The accident occurred in Huntley, Illinois, when Jeffrey Repec, driving a tractor trailer for Geils Farms, rear-ended the pickup truck Carroll was riding in with her husband, Randy, and their three-year-old son, Gabriel. 

The family was on its way to a nearby pumpkin patch at the time of the accident. Tabitha Carroll was pronounced dead at the scene, Randy Carroll suffered a broken spine, respiratory failure and facial fractures, and Gabriel suffered two broken legs and head injuries, as well as lacerations. 

The settlement with Geils Farms, approved last month in Kane County court, awards the family $4.7 million for Carroll’s death, $1.5 million for injuries to Randy Carroll and $300,000 for injuries to Gabriel. Repec, who was said to be driving at a high rate of speed while under the influence of marijuana, is currently serving a 45-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to aggravated driving under the influence of drugs. 

According to a press release (PDF) issued by the family’s attorneys, it was discovered as the lawsuit developed that Geils Farms had failed to conduct random drug tests of its drivers, as required by law, and failed to perform background checks on its drivers. Repec’s tractor trailer that day was also found to be legally overloaded and weighed 80,000 pounds at the time of the crash.