Carthage family sues CFI following collision at River Street and Fir Road

A Carthage family is suing Contract Freighters, Inc. (CFI) after four family members were injured in a December 26, 2024 collision at River Street and Fir Road in Carthage.

According to the lawsuit, which was filed today in Jasper County Circuit Court, CFI driver William Alliger driving a 2022 Kenworth tractor-trailer struck a 2017 Mercedes Benz E-300 driven by Cody Bottorff. Bottoroff's wife, Lauren Bottoroff and their two children were passengers in the vehicle.

From the petition:

On or about December 26, 2024, at approximately 10:15 AM, Plaintiff Cody Bottoroff was lawfully operating a 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300 traveling southbound on River Street in Carthage, Jasper County, Missouri.

Plaintiff A.B. was seated in the front passenger seat, Plaintiff Lauren Bottoroff was seated in the rear right passenger seat, and Plaintiff C.B. was seated in the rear left passenger seat.

Plaintiffs had come to a complete stop at the intersection of River Street and Fir Road, a controlled T-intersection governed by a stop sign requiring vehicles on River Street to yield to cross traffic on Fir Road before turning left or right.

Plaintiffs were stopped in the designated right-turn lane, waiting for a safe opportunity to turn right onto Fir Road.

At the same time, William Alliger was operating a 2022 Kenworth semi-tractor and trailer while working for Defendant CFI. Mr. Alliger was also positioned at the intersection on River Street, occupying the left- turn lane.

Mr. Alliger did not have a turn signal activated.

Once cross traffic on Fir Road had cleared, Mr. Alliger abruptly made a right-hand turn from the left-turn lane, cutting across the right-turn lane and striking the vehicle occupied by Plaintiffs, causing a collision.

The impact caused Plaintiffs vehicle to be pushed off the roadway and into a ditch on the righthand side.

According to the petition, Cody Bottoroff suffered injury to his left shoulder, neck and upper back, Lauren Bottoroff received injuries to her neck, head, lower back, bilateral shoulder, upper back and abdomen, while one child, referred to as A. B. , received a knee injury and the other child, referred to as C. B., received an injury to his abdomen.

Each family member is suing CFI for negligence and negligence per se.

The Bottoroffs are represented by Anna Pace-Johnson of Johnson, Vorhees & Martucci, Joplin.

They are asking for "fair and reasonable damages," costs, interest and for a jury trial.