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Accident Victim's Family Files Lawsuit

March 15, 2006

The family of a woman killed in a head-on collision near Triad Middle School filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver this week in Madison County Circuit Court.

The accident occurred about 6:15 p.m. on December 12, as Ryan Huelsmann, a junior at Mater Dei High School in Breese, was returning home from basketball practice.

Pamela Kimbrell, 54, was eastbound on U.S. 40, about 1,000 west of Triad Road, when Huelsmann's car, which was westbound, veered into her lane and hit her head-on.

Kimbrell's Monte Carlo was then broadsided by a vehicle driven by Christopher S. Gray. Gray's vehicle was owned by Quality Rental, Incorporated, according to the suit.

The suit was brought on behalf of Kimbrell's husband, Paul D. Kimbrell, and the couple's daughters, Candice Porter and Tiffany Kimbrell.

Both daughters were hospitalized after the accident.

Named as defendants were Huelsmann, 17, his mother Lisa Huelsmann, and Gray and Quality Rentals, Incorporated.

The suit claims that Huelsmann was negligent because he:

failed to keep his car in the proper lane;

drove too fast for conditions;

failed to properly apply the brakes; and

operated a vehicle that had faulty brakes.

Illinois State Police issued Huelsmann traffic tickets for operating an uninsured motor vehicle and failing to keep the vehicle on his side of the road.

The suit also alleges that Gray was negligent because he:

failed to reduce his speed to avoid Kimbrell's car;

drove too fast for conditions;

followed Kimbrell's car too closely; and

failed to properly apply the brakes.

The suit, which was filed by Colllinsville attorney John Hustava, seeks in excess of $50,000 on four counts.