SAN ANGELO, TEXAS — This past weekend, San Angelo witnessed another successful Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series. But memories of the races, called The Showdown in San Angelo, each year has been a bit somber for the family, friends, and many in the San Angelo community because of a fatal crash that killed Sgt. Korby Kennedy, the head of the SAPD Traffic Division, during a Showdown event two years ago.
On June 25, 2015, motorcycle police patrolmen were escorting a parade of racing boats headed northeast on Knickerbocker Road. During the parade, a female driver, Cynthia Quigley, was waiting in her Nissan Rogue in a private drive on the south side of Knickerbocker Road to turn left, between Parkview and Johnson Street. As she waited for the parade to pass her, Larry Netherland, who was driving a truck towing a boat and trailer on behalf of Marty Logan and his various companies, motioned to Quigley to make a left turn. As Quigley entered Knickerbocker Road, and began to turn left, she pulled into the pathway of Sgt. Kennedy who was on a police motorcycle racing ahead, next to the line of speedboats, to the next intersection. The two collided and Kennedy ultimately died from his injuries.
Above: A motorcycle police officer was killed on Knickerbocker Road on June 25, 2015. (LIVE! Photo/John Basquez)
The family of Kennedy, his wife and two daughters, filed a lawsuit against Netherland, Quigley, and Marty Logan and his company so that the involved insurance companies can be forced by the court to pay the money the Kennedy estate believes it owes them. Under Texas law, an injured party can not directly file a lawsuit against an insurance company when the family of a person has been killed by the proven or admitted negligence of the insured. According to court documents, the involved insurance companies claimed they would settle out of court, but all companies have refused to make contact.
In court documents, Kennedy’s wife is suing all three parties for monetary relief of at least $1,000,000.00 for the damages, pain, suffering, and mental anguish suffered since the fatal accident.
The lawsuit reads that negligent disregard of Netherland consisted of the following:
Netherland failed to keep a proper lookout for Sgt. Kennedy
Netherland directed Quigley to drive in between vehicles during a parade
Netherland failed to warn Sgt. Kennedy that he had motioned for another motorists to obstruct the police’s path of travel.
In regards to Quigley, the lawsuit states that the negligent disregard of Quigley consisted of the following:
Quigley followed the instruction of Netherland, thereby driving her vehicle into the path of Sgt. Kennedy.
The family of Sgt. Kennedy is also filing the lawsuit against Marty Logan and Thomas M. Logan who are both members of the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series, and Marty Logan’s House of Colour, Inc., Promod 881, LLC., Lucas Oil Products, Inc., I-10 Promotions, Inc., and the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series.
Above: The Lucas drag boat races have continued. These are two boats lining up to race at the 2017 Showdown in San Angelo. (LIVE! photo/Joe Hyde)
“The Logan Defendants, Lucas Oil and I-10 Race Promotions were in exclusive control in all aspects from the time Defendant Netherland and the pickup and boat left Lake Nasworthy until the time the pickup and boat reached the Show and Shine Event at the Twin Peaks Restaurant located on Knickerbocker Rd.,” legal documents read. Furthermore, the court documents claim that the Logans and their respective companies were negligent in failing to stop their agent, Netherland, from engaging in negligent behavior that caused the life of Sgt. Kennedy.
The parade of drag boats were being towed from the Lake Nasworthy race location to Twin Peaks Restaurant's parking lot that day. The racing teams were to have photo ops and a meet-and-greet session with fans upon arrival. The event was canceled after the crash.
The Kennedy family has requested a trial by jury at the time of filing their original petition.
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Comments
So the officer was in the lane of traffic beside the "parade", not in front of it, and the guy at the head of the parade had time to stop the entire thing to wave the female driver out in front- was the officer speeding then to get in front of the parade? its not very clear but the events don't really make sense otherwise.
i mean that doesn't excuse the stupidity of the other drivers involved if he was speeding, but it also doesn't make it right to sue them if he was going too fast himself.
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PermalinkThe motorcycle police were racing beside the parade to get to the next intersection in order to direct traffic there. Previously, they were directing traffic at the intersection prior. The parade, more slower, makes its way through the prior intersection and is enroute to the next. Then the motorcycle cop hops back on the bike and has to travel at a higher rate of speed to make it to the next intersection before the parade arrives there. Make sense?
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Permalinkmakes much more sense- thank you. were the police officers using their lights during all this? if so i can understand more about the stupidity of the lucas oil driver stopping the flow of traffic to let the other driver pass in front of them. if they weren't using their lights though i can see how he might've been confused regarding the protocol.
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PermalinkI am sure they were using lights. But it was late afternoon and the sun was bright.
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PermalinkWhy were police escorting? They dont do escorts. Thats why there is escort service. City and police chief then should be sued also!
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PermalinkAs unfortunate as this whole thing is, suing Lucas Oil or anyone having to do with this accident should be thrown out of court. I'm sure that all of us can attest to suffering the loss of a family member or friend due to terrible circumstances but if we all sued, so many more people would suffer because of it. There were so many benefits held and monetary donations made to his family by so many people that cared about him and the community as a whole. I hate that his wife is now a widow and his children have to live the remainder of their lives without their dad. It sucks. Death sucks! But this was a tragic accident. This won't bring him back. $1,000,000.00.......Is that going to make it all better? Then what? If money is going to heal your broken heart then great, but I highly doubt it. (If it does, then there are deeper issues than just dealing with the loss of a family member.) What will be the next step to get vindication for his death? This is not the answer....
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PermalinkI don't know what I you do in that situation. But if the driver towing the boat had not motioned for the car to turn left and just stayed in line while the police dept. was escorting them to Twin Peaks which is what they were getting paid to do the accident would of never of happened. The police were in control of the traffic not the people trying to turn one way or the other. Police always have the right of way. Since it was a police escort other vehicles should just wait just like they do when they see police escorts for any other occasions, parades, funerals etc. Seems like all of us learned that in drivers ed at some point. I am 60 years old and still remember learning that. You just do not interfere with anything the SAPD is helping with unless a unless one of them is being attack then feel free to jump in and help them, I would.
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PermalinkThat it was a very sad and tragic thing to happen but after the countless fundraisers it seems that have been done for and on behalf of the family plus I would assume the insurance and benefits for being with the SAPD as long as he was then how much more do they want? I also seem to remember the drivers that year donating the winnings to the family as well.
I have a pretty good hunch this is a case of asking for a big sum hoping to settle out of court for a few hundred grand. America, Land of the Lawsuit.
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