Beaumont residents sue city over crash with ambulance

Two Beaumont residents claim they incurred medical costs and property damages after a Beaumont ambulance driver struck their vehicle at an intersection.

Dana Gollihare and Ray Rattray, individually and as next friend of Cameron Rattray, filed a lawsuit May 3 in Jefferson County District Court against the city of Beaumont.

Gollihare and Ray Rattray claim Gollihare came to a stop at a red light governing the intersection of College Street and Major Drive in Beaumont on Oct. 1. Cameron Rattray rode as a passenger in the vehicle beside Gollihare at the time of the occurrence, according to the complaint.

When Gollihare's light turned green, she proceeded to drive south on Major, the suit states. Suddenly, Lloyd Burks, who drove an ambulance for Beaumont, struck the right side of Gollihare's vehicle as he attempted to proceed east on College, the complaint says.

Gollihare claims that because of the collision, she and Cameron Rattray incurred medical costs; experienced physical pain, suffering, physical impairment and mental anguish; and lost her earnings and her earning capacity.

Ray Rattray suffered $8,400 worth of damages to his 2000 Honda CRV, spent $750 in expenses related to the loss of his vehicle and incurred medical costs, according to the complaint.

The plaintiffs blame Burks for causing the collision, saying he failed to keep a proper lookout, failed to turn his vehicle to avoid a collision, drove too fast, failed to timely apply his brakes to avoid a collision, failed to stop at an official traffic control device, failed to grant immediate use of the intersection to Gollihare after she had entered it and failed to enter the intersection only when a collision could have been avoided.

The plaintiffs seek a judgment within the jurisdictional limits of Jefferson County District Court, plus pre-judgment interest at the maximum rate allowed by law, post-judgment interest at the legal rate, costs and other relief the court deems just.

Trent Devenzio of McCall and Devenzio in Beaumont will be representing them.

The case has been assigned to Judge Donald Floyd, 172nd District Court.

Jefferson County District Court case number: E186-787.