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Lawsuit: Woman ‘burned alive’ after tractor-trailer crashed into Erwin home, killing 2
By Murry LeeFaith Little,
1 day ago
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) — A civil lawsuit seeks $20 million from the driver of a tractor-trailer that crashed through a home, killing two people and critically injuring one, after veering off of Interstate 26 in Erwin on July 2, 2023. The suit also names the company that owned the truck as a defendant.
Robenson Vertus, of Connecticut, was charged with criminally negligent homicide following the crash, which took place at around 7:55 that morning.
A crash report from the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) said the tractor-trailer driven by Vertus was traveling west on I-26 when it left the roadway, traveled through an interstate boundary fence, went across Rex Lewis Road, and crashed into a two-story house.
Vertus is scheduled for an arraignment related to his charges in August at Unicoi County Circuit Court.
Two women, Kirandeep Kaur, 31, and Jaswinder Kaur, 54, died as a result of the crash. A man in the household was critically injured, and the suit filed states that he received “serious permanent injuries,” including numerous spinal fractures.
The lawsuit, filed June 25 in U.S. District Court, cites economic and non-economic damages and also requests all the costs and expenses of the litigation.
According to the civil suit, the plaintiffs include the man injured in the crash, Arwinder Singh, and his wife, McKenzie Singh. Lawsuit documents state Arwinder Singh is the son of Jaswinder Kaur and the brother of Kirandeep Kaur; he is their only living relative.
The lawsuit lists four counts:
Negligence of Vertus
Respondeat Superior (party responsibility) against FFE Transportation Services, Inc.
Negligence of FFE Transportation Services, Inc.
Loss of Consortium caused by both Vertus and FFE Transportation Services, Inc.
The lawsuit seeks to hold both Vertus and his employer, FFE Transportation Services, Inc., liable for the collision and its lasting effect on the Singhs.
Upon information and belief and pursuant to the Tennessee State Police’s Critical Incident Response Team Report, Mr. Vertus fell asleep while operating the tractor-trailer causing the 2021 Freightliner pulling a 2019 Utility Box Trailer to travel off the right side of the interstate, across a grass divider, over a paved on-ramp, then down an earth embankment, through a tree line and metal fence, then across a paved driveway and yard, striking the Plaintiff Arwinder Singh’s vehicle, then crashing into the Singh Family home.
Civil Lawsuit filed against FFE Transportation Services Inc. and Robenson Vertus
The cost of the crash
The lawsuit states the collision caused the Singh home to become engulfed in flames. Kirandeep Kaur died at the scene of the collision, and Arwinder Singh was thrown from the second floor of the home when the tractor-trailer hit it. Singh claims to have suffered “serious permanent injuries,” including several rib fractures, multiple spinal fractures and injuries to the skull.
Singh claimed that in addition to his physical pain and discomfort, he has also lost wages and earning capacity as a result of his injuries.
According to the lawsuit, Jaswinder Kaur was “trapped under debris and burned alive for over 90 minutes before emergency personnel found her.” The suit claims she was found conscious but severely burned. The plaintiffs report Jaswinder Kaur suffered third-degree burns, with more than 40% of her body surface area burned.
Kaur lived for roughly 24 hours after the crash before succumbing to her injuries.
The Singh family dog was also killed when the tractor-trailer collided with the house, the plaintiffs reported.
The other plaintiff, McKenzie Singh, was not home at the time of the crash but has suffered mental pain and suffering, the lawsuit claims. The Singhs claim she has been diagnosed with mental health conditions following the collision and its impact on her.
The claims against the driver & company
The Singhs make multiple claims against Vertus and FFE Transportation Services in the lawsuit.
The suit alleges Vertus was negligent and breached his duties by failing to keep a safe lookout, failing to keep control of the vehicle, driving in a dangerous manner and intentionally driving a tractor-trailer while sleep-deprived.
As far as FFE Transportation Services is concerned, two counts are leveled against the company. The respondeat superior count alleges that the company is responsible for Vertus’s actions as his employer. The Singhs also claim negligence on the company’s part for failing to properly train Vertus, failing to perform background checks and failing to properly supervise him.
The loss of consortium count against both Vertus and FFE Transportation Services claims the Singhs’ marriage has been damaged by the incident.
The lawsuit seeks a jury trial.
As of initial publication of this story, FFE Transportation had not returned a request for comment or statement that was sent to it early Monday morning.
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