Home / Disasters and Accidents / Oregon Father Sues Over Daughter's 'Death Trap' Road Death
Oregon Father Sues Over Daughter's 'Death Trap' Road Death
23 Aug
Summary
- Father sues city, state, and Jeep manufacturer for $39 million.
- Daughter died on a road allegedly narrower than state standards.
- Residents had warned officials, calling the road a 'death trap'.
A wrongful death lawsuit seeking $39 million has been filed by David Tankersley, father of Mai Grace Tankersley, who died on July 25, 2024. The suit names the City of Beaverton, Washington County, the Oregon Department of Transportation, and Stellantis N.V. as defendants.
Mai, 17, was driving home in her Jeep Wrangler when she veered onto a gravel shoulder on a narrow road curve. The complaint states the Jeep then crashed into a tree, resulting in Mai's death at the scene.
The lawsuit claims the road was potentially 3 feet narrower than Oregon state standards and that crucial safety features in the Jeep failed. Community members had previously petitioned the City of Beaverton to widen the road, warning of potential fatalities.
Records indicate 36 injury-related crashes occurred on this stretch of road between 2008 and 2022. A local resident described the road as a "death trap" in a letter to the city following Mai's accident.
