Colorado Jury Awards $65 Million in Trucking Crash Case
FORT COLLINS, CO – A jury awarded $65 million to a 14-year-old boy following the death of his mother in a trucking accident on August 8, 2022, on Interstate 25.
The jury's verdict was delivered after a five-day trial against truck driver Darnell Yingling and his employer, Import Auto Inc., according to Dulin McQuinn Young, LLP. Megan Arneson, 32, died when a piece of concrete debris fell on her from an improperly loaded excavator being hauled by Yingling.
Arneson and her son were returning home from a water park when the excavator's arm struck a bridge, releasing debris that crashed through their vehicle's windshield. Authorities confirmed she died at the scene.
Colorado State Patrol investigators concluded that the excavator was not correctly loaded, creating a dangerous situation. The lawsuit alleged both Yingling and Import Auto Inc. failed to secure and inspect the load properly, as well as provide appropriate training to the driver.
The awarded sum marks the largest jury verdict for a trucking crash in Colorado history and in Larimer County. Attorneys representing the family expressed their gratitude, emphasizing that the jury's decision sends a strong message regarding safety in the trucking industry.
The trucking company and Yingling did not immediately respond to requests for comment.