Beasley Allen and Other Firms Hired to Represent Tragic Van Crash Victims

Beasley Allen’s Chris Glover was hired to represent nine passengers injured or killed in a horrific van accident near Atlanta last spring in an auto product liability lawsuit against Chrysler Group LLC and others.

On April 24, 2021, 16 women from We Are Living Proof, a sober living community, were traveling along I-85 just outside downtown Atlanta in a 2002 Dodge Ram passenger van en route to a recovery meeting. Suddenly, the van went out of control, rolled onto its side, and slid across two lanes of the interstate before bursting into flames. According to news reports, bystanders frantically helped rescue passengers from the burning van. Ultimately, seven women died, and the remaining nine were injured.

Glover filed lawsuits against Chrysler Group (known as FCA US LLC), its parent company Stellantis N.V., Sober Living Recovery, the van driver, and others. He represents Alexis Furubotten, Ebony Marks, Amy Proffitt, and Rikiah Gatlin, all of whom were injured in the accident, and the families of Kristie Whitfield, Tina Rice, Normisha Monroe, Heidi Lesley, and Rose Patrick all of whom died in the crash. Co-counsel Alan Hamilton, a partner with the firm Shiver Hamilton, joined the injury case filing with his clients Brittnee Bekerman, Morgan Brewner, and Ericka Obi. Shiver Hamilton also filed separately on behalf of two of the other victims who died, Ashleigh Paris and Alisha Carroll.

“The tragic van accident was the result of a perfect storm of events, all of which could have been avoided, and the lives and injuries spared, had certain precautions been in place,” Beasley Allen’s Glover said. “This vehicle was tragically unstable. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and others have warned for years against using these vehicles because of their dangerous propensity to lose control and roll over. These vehicles were discontinued the next year after the one holding these women was sold, yet nothing was done to protect the many lives impacted by this dangerous design. Chrysler was well aware of its dangers before they ever sold this van.”

Shiver Hamilton’s Alan Hamilton added, “This was a relatively minor tip-over. Everyone should have walked away. It’s a tragedy that due to the vehicle’s design, these women were trapped in a fiery inferno.”

Hamilton will represent Steve Paris (as surviving parent and Administrator of the Estate of Ashleigh Paris) and Timothy Carroll, Sr. (as surviving spouse and Administrator of the Estate of Alisha Carroll).

The plaintiffs are also represented by P. Gerald Cody, Jr. and Gus McDonald of McDonald & Cody, LLC, James “Jeb” Butler of Butler Law Firm, Scott Pryor of Scott A. Pryor, Attorney at Law, LLC, Haynes Studstill of Studstill Firm, LLP., Christine Koehler of the Koehler Firm; Michael T. Sterling of Dreyer Sterling LLC; Sarah R. Jett of the Law Offices of Gary Martin Hays & Associates, P.C.; Jonathan Rosenburg of Bader Scott Injury Lawyers LLC; Charles E. Johnson III (Trip) of Foy & Associates, P.C.; Scott Pryor of Scott Pryor Law; and Stephen Lynch of Morgan & Morgan.

The following complaints have been filed in the Georgia State Court of Gwinnett County:

• Rikiah Gatlin, Alexis Furubotten, Amy Proffitt, Ebony Marks, Ericka Obi, Brittnee Bekerman, and Morgan Brewner v. Stellantis N.V., et al.
  case number 22-C-00479-S6
• Christian Conrad (as Administrator for the Estate of Kristi Whitfield) v. Stellantis N.V., et al.
  case number 21-C-03506-S
• Michael Taylor (as surviving son of Tina Rice) v. Stellantis N.V., et al.
  case number 22-C-00478-S6
• Tamika Gooden (as Administrator of the Estate of Normisha Monroe) v. Stellantis N.V., et al.
  case number 22-C-00470-S2
• Victoria Lesley (as surviving daughter of Heidi Lesley) v. Stellantis N.V., et al.
  case number 22-C-00475-S6
• Jennifer Patrick (on behalf of Rose Patrick) v. Stellantis N.V., et al.
  case number 22-C-00489-S4