Wife struck and killed

By ANNA BROWN

Staff Writer

A Jonesville man whose wife was struck and killed by a truck while walking home from a convenience store has sued the trucking line and driver.

Columbia lawyers Carl Solomon and Donald Gist filed the survival action and wrongful death suit in the Union County Clerk of Court's office for John Jeffries, widower of Judy Jeffries. The suit requests a jury trial and is seeking actual and punitive damages and court costs from Werner Enterprises Inc. and Donald C. Samples.

Mrs. Jeffries, of 103 Whitlock Lake Road, died in the operating room at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center about two hours after being struck by the 18-wheeler on Sept. 20, 2005 on Furman Fendley Highway near the intersection with S.C. 12, (West Springs Highway). Witnesses said Mrs. Jeffries had been to the Mini-Mart and was crossing the road trying to get home. Mrs. Jeffries would have celebrated her 57th birthday on Sept. 29.

At the time of the wreck, the Highway Patrol said Samples, of Georgia, was traveling 55 mph in a 55 mph zone.

In his suit, Jeffries is seeking a survival action for damages his wife sustained prior to her death, including pain and suffering, mental anguish and anticipation of death. He is seeking wrongful death actions because of his grief and sorrow, mental shock, pain, suffering and lack of companionship.

The suit alleges that Samples was negligent for several reasons, including that he failed to keep a proper lookout and was speeding.

Werner, whose home office is in Omaha, Neb., is negligent for several reasons, the suit alleges, including that the company failed to properly train and supervise drivers and monitor their safety performance.