DALLAS – The parents of a 25-year-old Seattle man who was a passenger on the Greyhound bus that struck and killed him have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Greyhound Lines, Inc. The petition was filed in Dallas County, where Greyhound’s corporate headquarters is located. Our son had a future ahead of him, say Paula Becker and Barry Brown, the parents of Hunter Brown, who died after being run over. That future was taken away from him and from us because of the careless actions of the driver and Greyhound.
PHOTOS: Hunter Brown, Paula Becker and Barry Brown, on Dropbox link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/x0xdxaz6o5fppx5/AAALpdE8QmkbFZw6Yn1ZJOx0a?dl=0
The lawsuit, filed by attorneys with Dallas-based Aldous \ Walker LLP and Portland-based Paulson Coletti Trial Attorneys PC, charges that Greyhound failed to provide Hunter Brown with a safe bus ride and a rested, responsible bus driver for his June 2017 trip from Seattle to San Francisco. According to the petition, Greyhound’s driver had already driven an excessive length of time that day and was not appropriately rested when he was dispatched on the trip. Furthermore, the Greyhound driver was late for the trip and failed to comply with other Greyhound policies. Passengers described inappropriate, erratic and unsafe behavior by the driver, Arthur Coley, throughout the trip, including:
- Commenting audibly that he was so exhausted he might fall asleep
- Arguing with passengers
- Warning passengers to avoid agitating him
- Placing the bus in park on a roadway to use the bathroom before entering a highway
- Leaving three teenagers at a scheduled stop without their belongings
According to the lawsuit, Mr. Coley stopped at a Pilot Travel Center in Central Point, Oregon, at 1 in the morning and announced to passengers that the bus would depart again at 1:30 a.m. But Mr. Coley began pulling away from the truck stop before the announced departure time, ignoring passengers who tried to alert him that others were not on the bus. At that point, Mr. Brown began running toward the bus, pleading with Mr. Coley to let him board. The petition charges that Mr. Coley turned the bus toward Mr. Brown, running over him. Witnesses reported that Mr. Coley instructed passengers to remain on the bus while he called 911, instead of providing immediate medical attention.
This death was 100 percent preventable, says Charla Aldous, who represents Hunter Brown’s parents. Hunter trusted Greyhound and its bus driver to safely transport him from Seattle to San Francisco. That didn’t happen.
SOUND: Interview clips of attorney Charla Aldous on Dropbox link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/tfw8z3d6ml9322f/AAC5l5eqbxPVz5pQt7opvHqba?dl=0
In addition to damages, the lawsuit seeks accountability from Greyhound and a change in business practices to protect its passengers. The Aldous\Walker law firm represents clients in civil litigation, personal injury, medical malpractice, products liability and wrongful deaths. Learn more about the firm at http://www.aldouslaw.com.
Contact:
Sophia Reza
800-559-4534
sophia@androvett.com