Woman sues city, truck driver over injuries children received

Woman sues city, truck driver over injuries children received

YOUNGSTOWN — An Alameda Avenue woman has sued the city and one of its salt truck drivers over injuries she said her minor children suffered in an accident on Crandall Avenue almost four years ago.

Latrese Dawson filed the suit seeking in excess of $25,000 in damages for unspecified injuries she said were suffered by her passengers, Ceyanie DuBoise, Jashala Q. Jones and Jamar A. Jones, who were treated at Forum Health Northside Medical Center after the accident. The children were 9, 7 and 6, respectively, when the crash occurred.

Named as defendants are the city, its driver, Donald Talley, and 10 unknown John Doe defendants. The suit was filed Wednesday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Talley told police investigating the March 8, 2004, crash that he had been eastbound on Crandall Avenue, stopped at Wirt Street, and hit the eastbound car Dawson was driving when he backed up to shake back his load of salt.

Dawson gave police the same account of the accident.

Talley, a city street department employee, told police he didn’t see the car, which was directly behind the city-owned truck, in his rear-view mirrors.

City law department officials did not respond to a request to comment.