The husband of a minister who taught at Evangel University has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver who allegedly hit his wife's bicycle.
Renee Griffith Grantham died April 15, at age 34, after the bicycle she was riding was struck by a vehicle on Route YY — or East Division Street — in Greene County.
Mark Grantham, through attorney Timothy Hayes, filed the preliminary documents for the lawsuit Aug. 29.
The lawsuit names Farmers Insurance Company Inc. and the driver Jeremy Compton, of Strafford, who was not charged in connection with the crash. There is not yet an attorney listed for Compton in online court records.
In the suit, Mark Grantham alleges Compton's negligence caused or contributed to the death of his wife.
Mark Grantham alleged he has suffered a loss of companionship, among other things, and incurred funeral costs.
As part of the lawsuit, an affidavit was filed that included a wrongful death settlement. In it, Mark Grantham said he will waive his right to a jury trail.
The affidavit stated Renee's parents, Lew and Christine Griffith, were notified about the lawsuit but were waiving their right to any recovery.
According to the affidavit, a claim was made against Shelter Insurance Company, which provided liability coverage for Compton, and an underinsured motorist claim was made against Farmers Insurance Company.
Grantham said he consented to a proposed settlement of $300,000 that included $225,000 to him and $75,000 to the Law Offices of Bishop & Hayes. He signed the affidavit Aug. 23.
An obituary for Renee Grantham stated she was born in California in 1990 and raised in Butte, Montana. She graduated in 2008 as the valedictorian.
In 2012, she earned a bachelor's degree in English and intercultural studies from Evangel and spent two years teaching and serving through missions work in Moldova and Russia.
She attended the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary and graduated with a master's degree in 2019. She was a licensed minister.
In May 2020, Renee and Mark married in Springfield.
More: Evangel University adjunct theology professor dies after SUV strikes her bicycle
A writer for the World Missions Department of the Assemblies of God, she taught theology at Evangel and James River College.
An avid runner and triathlon competitor, she also coached track and cross country at New Covenant Academy.
Renee and Mark, who became a C5-level quadriplegic after a 2006 pool mishap , also created Ozark Wheelchair Adventures, a nonprofit that facilitates outdoor therapeutic recreation for those with spinal cord injuries.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Husband of Evangel educator, New Covenant Academy coach files wrongful death lawsuit
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