Lawsuit claims overgrown vegetation led to deadly South Carolina crash

BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) — The property of a household killed in a October 2020 crash in Summerville has filed a lawsuit in opposition to Berkeley County.

On Oct. 11, 2020, husband and spouse Chad Freeman, 49, Andrew Freeman, 48, and Chad’s 74-year-old mom Meredith Freeman had been killed in a automobile accident alongside Nexton Parkway in Summerville.

Whereas making an attempt to make a left flip onto Brighton Park Boulevard, a Jeep Wrangler slammed into the passenger facet of the Freeman’s car, leading to deadly accidents.

The Jeep was being pushed by 18-year-old Joshua Patrick Wensell, who was charged with three counts of reckless murder. Wensell appeared earlier than a decide after his arrest and was given a $120,000 surety bond.

The property of the Freemans is now suing Berkeley County on quite a lot of allegations.

A lawsuit filed on Tuesday alleges that the county “allowed, and didn’t appropriate” vegetation within the medians of Nexton Parkway, together with the median on the roadway’s intersection of Brighton Park Boulevard.

The lawsuit continues by stating Berkeley County is required to “observe the requirements and pointers for the South Carolina Division of Transportation and different trade requirements for sustaining secure roadways and stopping the existence of hazardous/harmful circumstances.”

The Freemans’ property claims that vegetation within the median on Nexton Parkway violated SCDOT’s requirements and pointers, and that Berkeley County “breached its obligation,” and was just about negligent by its failure to rectify the situation of the roadway.

In all, the property is alleging gross negligence, wrongful demise and survivorship.