SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) - A father has filed a wrongful death lawsuit over the deaths of three of his children last year in a southwest Missouri crash.
The Springfield News-Leader reports that Ionel Dobos alleged in the suit filed this month that a tractor-trailer driver failed to signal in July when he re-entered Interstate 44 after having been parked on the side of the road near Springfield. He also sued the children's mother, Claudia Dobos, alleging she was speeding.
Troopers say her van hit the front of the rig and then went into the guardrail. The impact tore a large hole in the side of the van, causing 6-year-old Julia Dobos, 7-year-old Angelina Dobos and 8-year-old Olivia Dobos to be ejected and killed. Five other of Claudia and Ionel Dobos' children also were in the van, and some of them suffered significant injuries.
The lawsuit also named companies that were in charge of employing and supervising the rig's driver. The suit alleged that he violated rules that prohibit truckers from driving more than 70 hours in an eight-day period and eight-straight hours in a day.
The News-Leader was unable to reach attorneys for Claudia and Ionel Dobos. No criminal charges have been filed in the crash.