In The News

Millions awarded in big rig collision case

WICHITA, Kan. — A Kansas jury has awarded $23.5 million in a lawsuit stemming from injuries in a semitrailer collision in New Mexico.

The jury’s decision last week is one of the biggest traffic accident verdicts in Kansas.

U.S. District Judge Monti Belot reduced the actual award for Terry and Donna Frederick of Overland Park to nearly $15.3 million. That’s because the jury says the driver of the truck was only 65 percent at fault.

Robyn Getchel tested positive for methamphetamine while driving a truck for Swift Transportation.

Lawyers for the Fredericks contend Getchel was backing up from a rest stop onto the highway when she hit a Yellow Freight truck. The collision killed driver Dennis Bottorff and injured his passenger.

Terry Frederick suffered a severe spinal cord injury.

Jerry Breeden of The Trucker staff can be reached for comment at [email protected].