Wrongful death lawsuit filed in head-on collision
WAYNESBURG – The mother of a Waynesburg teenager who was killed in a head-on collision in March recently filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver of the other vehicle. Hope Maley, 16, died on March 13 from injuries sustained in a two-vehicle accident that occurred on Route 218 near Randy Hoge Road in Franklin Township, Greene County, about 3.5 miles from Waynesburg.
According to state police, Maley was traveling south on Route 218 when a car driven by Britnee Moore, 18, of Waynesburg crossed the center lane after failing to negotiate a curve. Moore’s 2006 Honda Civic traveled into the southbound lane and struck Maley’s 1994 Honda Civic head-on about 200 feet south of Randy Hoge Road, police said.
Moore suffered moderate to major injuries in the crash and was flown by medical helicopter to UPMC-Presbyterian hospital in Pittsburgh.
Maley was pronounced dead at the scene by Greene County Deputy Coroner Mary Lewis at 10:08 p.m. An autopsy performed by Allegheny County forensic pathologist Dr. Cyril Wecht determined the cause of death to be blunt-force trauma to the chest and abdomen, Lewis said.
According to records filed in the Greene County Prothonotary’s Office, the wrongful death lawsuit was filed April 25 by Maley’s mother, Darlene Maley, who is the administrator of her daughter’s estate.
The lawsuit alleges that Moore left her lane of travel, crossed the center line of the road and entered into the path of Maley’s vehicle, leaving Maley no opportunity to avoid a collision.
The suit also claims, among other allegations, that Moore was operating her vehicle “at a high, dangerous and reckless speed,” and that she failed to have her vehicle under proper control.
“As a direct and proximate result of the recklessness, negligence and carelessness of the defendant…Maley sustained multiple severe personal injuries, which resulted in (her) death on March 13,” the suit states.
The plaintiff is claiming damages of $25,000 and is demanding a jury trial.
The complaint was filed through the Barzari and Watson law firm of Pittsburgh.