Dive Brief:

• The family of a man killed in a 2011 accident involving a sanitation truck was awarded $14.5 million in damages. 
• The Kalamazoo County Circuit Court in Michigan determined those involved in the fatal incident must pay the sum to the victim’s estate. 
• The accident killed Lary Blahnik, the man behind the wheel of the vehicle that was struck by the waste truck.

Dive Insight:

The driver of the sanitation truck was William Ormerod III, a driver employed by Republic Services. Police said Ormerod failed to stop at the stop sign, and ran into Blahkin’s vehicle. Investigators said Ormerod was covering a new route that day. He served 18 months probation. 

Blahnik’s wife filed the lawsuit against Ormerod, Republic Services, and City Star Services Inc. She alleged negligence against all parties named in the suit, including corporate negligence against the companies for not putting proper driver safety training in place and its failure to provide necessary funds for the training.