Harris Co. women sue Chevron following elevator crash

HOUSTON - A malfunctioning elevator at a Houston skyscraper has prompted two Harris County women to file a lawsuit, recent court documents say.

Leslie Williams and Victoria Martinez are suing Chevron U.S.A. Inc. following an elevator ride three months ago which reportedly left them with a few injuries.

The plaintiffs originally launched the litigation in Harris County District Court on March 4.

The Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas received the case on May 6.

According to the suit, the complainants caught an elevator to take down to the lobby of the building owned, managed and maintained by the defendant the morning of Feb. 7 when the car "malfunctioned and skyrocketed from the 39th floor and crashed into the top of the elevator shaft 11 floors up."

Each woman says the supposed impact threw them into the ceiling and caused light fixtures and ceiling tiles to fall on them, adding they fell to the ground when the car stopped.

Houston firefighters then rescued the plaintiffs, who state they had to jump on top of another car and climb to safety.

Williams asserts that she heard firefighters say a Chevron employee controlling the elevator saw the car moving upward and "purposefully let it go so they could meet the trapped plaintiffs on an upper floor."

The complainants say the crash inflicted injuries to their legs, ankles and backs as well as emotional distress.

A jury trial is requested.

Attorney Jason A. Gibson of The Gibson Law Firm in Houston is representing the women.

Case No. 4:13-CV-1308