In a dramatic turn of events, a cyclist's ordinary ride turned into a legal battle after a severe accident involving a pickup truck. On February 12, 2025, Joe Lee Eddy filed a lawsuit in the District Court of Harris County, Texas, against R & R Fleet Services and its associates Ryan Rivera, Rachel Rivera, and Michael Brandon Mendoza. The case centers around an incident that occurred on January 23, 2025, when Eddy was struck by a Ford F150 driven by Mendoza while lawfully riding his bicycle.
According to the complaint filed by Eddy's attorneys from Williams Hart & Boundas LLP, the collision took place on FM2920 in Humble, Harris County. Eddy was traveling west in a designated bicycle lane when Mendoza allegedly made an abrupt left turn across the westbound lanes into a private parking lot. This maneuver resulted in Mendoza striking Eddy with his vehicle, causing significant injuries to Eddy as he was thrown onto the pavement. "Defendant Mendoza’s acts and/or omissions caused injury to Plaintiff’s person," states the petition, emphasizing that no actions or failures on Eddy's part contributed to the accident.
The lawsuit accuses Mendoza of negligence and negligence per se for failing to maintain control of his vehicle and not taking appropriate measures to avoid the collision. The complaint lists several alleged infractions including failure to yield right-of-way and violating multiple sections of the Texas Transportation Code. Furthermore, it asserts that Mendoza was operating within the scope of his employment with R & R Fleet Services at the time of the incident.
Eddy is seeking over $1 million in damages for past and future physical pain, disfigurement, mental anguish, lost wages, medical expenses, and exemplary damages due to gross negligence. The suit also targets R & R Fleet Services along with Ryan and Rachel Rivera for their role in hiring and supervising Mendoza. It claims they are liable under respondeat superior—a legal doctrine holding employers accountable for employees' actions performed within their job scope—and accuses them of negligent hiring practices.
In addition to compensatory damages for his injuries and losses, Eddy demands exemplary damages citing gross negligence by all defendants involved. His attorneys argue that "Defendants’ conduct... involved an extreme degree of risk considering the probability and magnitude of potential harm," asserting they proceeded with conscious indifference towards safety.
The case is being handled by attorneys Cesar Tavares Reyes Jr., Alma Reis Samaniego Michael Alejandro J Salicrup from Williams Hart & Boundas LLP who have demanded trial by jury on behalf of their client Joe Lee Eddy against defendants represented presumably by yet-to-be-disclosed counsel under Case ID 2025-09890 before Judge Chandra Lawson at Harris County District Court.