Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP attorneys Brian J. Panish, Rahul Ravipudi, Ian Samson, Adam Ellis, and Julia Armendariz have filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the wife and sons of Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Detective Justin Terry, a 20 year veteran of the Department, who was tragically killed when a massive metal beam fell onto his vehicle in a construction zone. The case has been filed in Clark County, Nevada and lists multiple defendants whose negligent actions resulted in Detective Terry’s death last year.
On the morning of June 10, 2022, Detective Terry was on duty driving an unmarked police vehicle and traveling southbound on U.S. Highway 95. As he approached the Centennial Bowl construction project in northwest Las Vegas, an overloaded tractor-trailer just ahead of him struck a metal beam erected in front of an overpass which was under construction. The metal beam, weighing more than 7,000 pounds, became dislodged from its base and fell onto Detective Terry’s vehicle as he passed beneath it. The impact of the beam resulted in fatal injuries to the 45-year-old detective.
At the time of Detective Terry’s death, Defendant Las Vegas Paving Company served as the general contractor for the Centennial Bowl Project. Plaintiffs allege Las Vegas Paving owed a duty of reasonable care to those who were present at the construction site, including roadway users, and that the company not only failed to provide sufficient warnings but was negligent in the fabrication and placement of the metal beam that fell and killed Detective Terry.
As alleged in the complaint, Defendant Western States Contracting Inc. and defendant driver Glen Joseph Lewis owed a duty of care to operate the tractor-trailer in a reasonably safe manner. Plaintiffs allege defendants breached their duty of care by not only negligently loading the tractor-trailer with a load in excess of the height limit for the vehicle, but also by driving the oversized load onto the roadway.
“Despite knowing the dangers of driving with an oversized load, the Defendants put lives at risk and killed a 20 year veteran of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department who dedicated his life to protect and serve this community,” said lead attorney Brian J. Panish. “What happened to Detective Terry was 100 percent preventable and it never should have happened. We are committed to holding these defendants accountable for their actions and we are honored to stand beside Stacey, Sean, and Jacob in our pursuit for justice.”
Plaintiffs are seeking to recover damages for their grief and sorrow, the loss of Detective Terry’s probable support, companionship, society, comfort, and consortium, damages for pain, suffering, and disfigurement, and special and punitive damages against all Defendants.