New charges link construction, negligence to fatal 2015 crash on I-75 in Ooltewah

Chattanooga Police Department Photo by Craig Joel
Scenes from the multiple fatality wreck at Exit 11 in Ooltewah.
Chattanooga Police Department Photo by Craig Joel Scenes from the multiple fatality wreck at Exit 11 in Ooltewah.

New lawsuits stemming from last year's fatal Interstate 75 crash at Exit 11 in Ooltewah were filed in Hamilton County Circuit Court this week, and plaintiffs are seeking $180 million in new combined damages and casting new allegations about the factors which led to the crash that killed six.

The layout and timing of the construction work near Exit 11 in Ooltewah at the time of the June 25, 2015, crash are called into question in the new complaints.

A complaint filed by the estate of the late Jason Ramos claims Talley Construction Co. and Superior Traffic Control established the construction zone "at an unauthorized and dangerous time and location."

And that the construction companies "were operating under an inadequate and dangerous traffic control plan, and failed to adhere to their own traffic plan."

Furthermore, the complaint also alleges Marten Transportation - the refrigerated trucking company under contract to deliver food goods, and which had hired London, Ky.-based Cool Runnings Express for some runs - knew that Cool Runnings driver Ben Brewer was over federal driving limits on the trip which ended with Brewer slamming into stopped and slowed traffic in Chattanooga.

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