Jury selection began Monday in case brought over the fatal freeway crash that ended the life of a college football player.
Seeking more than $1 million in damages, Jennifer Osagiede, representing the estate of Sule Osagiede, filed suit against Lazaro Aguilar on Jan. 23, 2012, in Jefferson County District Court.
According to the plaintiff’s f
irst amended petition, on Jan. 21, 2010, around 5:30 a.m., Sule was traveling on Interstate 10 in Beaumont on his way home to visit his mother, Jennifer, who lives in Houston.
Aguilar entered I-10 at the MLK ramp and soon came into “dangerously” close proximity with Sule’s vehicle, forcing him to perform a “faulty evasive maneuver” and swerve and crash into the freeway barrier. Sule swerved to avoid the crash and hit the inside left shoulder barrier, causing his vehicle to roll several times and eject him.
Sule, who was a student athlete at Tulane University at the time, died instantly at the scene of the incident, the suit states.
A linebacker, Sule was in his sophomore year. He played in seven games as a freshman in 2008 and had seven tackles. He missed the 2009 season after injuring his neck.
Jennifer will attempt to persuade jurors that Aguilar’s negligence caused the incident in question.
She will ask the jury to award her damages for her emotional distress and loss of companionship.
The trial is expected to conclude before the end of the week.
Attorney Leigh Montgomery of the Young & Husain law firm in Houston represents the plaintiff.
Judge Milton Shuffield, 136th District Court, is presiding over the trial.
Case No. D191-687
Wrongful death trial over fatal crash that killed college football player starts
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