Father of teen killed in crash files suit

By Adam Rollins, Record Staff Writer
Posted 2/5/19

The father of Megan Gross, a Warrenton High School student killed in a car crash last year, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the two drivers involved in the crash.An attorney for Daniel …

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Father of teen killed in crash files suit

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The father of Megan Gross, a Warrenton High School student killed in a car crash last year, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the two drivers involved in the crash.An attorney for Daniel Gross, Megan’s father, filed the lawsuit April 19 in Warren County Circuit Court. In it, he alleges that high school senior Max P. Wipfler and tractor-trailer driver Daniel C. Roark caused Megan’s death through negligent driving.The crash happened the morning of Sept. 17, 2018. Megan and Wipfler were riding to school in a pickup truck driven by Wipfler on Veterans Memorial Parkway. Wipfler was driving in the same direction as the tractor-trailer driven by Roark, and attempted to pass the semi at the same time Roark began turning left, leading to a collision, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.Megan was pronounced dead at the scene. Wipfler was taken to the hospital with moderate injuries. Roark reportedly was not injured.Among details about the crash disclosed in the lawsuit, Megan is reported to have suffered blunt force trauma that ultimately caused her death.The lawsuit accuses Roark of failing to spot the pickup truck attempting to pass the tractor-trailer he was driving, failing to signal that he was making a left turn, and causing his vehicle to strike Wipfler’s pickup truck. Roark’s employer at the time, Penske Truck Leasing Co. LP, also is included in the lawsuit.Wipfler is accused in the lawsuit of failing to keep a safe distance between his vehicle and the tractor-trailer. The lawsuit also claims Wipfler attempted to pass the tractor-trailer without first making sure it was safe, and that he was driving at an unsafe speed.Gross is suing both drivers and Penske Truck Leasing for the cost of Megan’s funeral expenses and any medical expenses. The lawsuit also asks the court to declare a steep monetary punishment for each year of Megan’s life expectancy that was lost, and for any pain and suffering she experienced during the crash.A jury trial has been requested in the court of Presiding Judge Jason H. Lamb.An attorney for Gross declined to comment. No attorneys are yet listed for the defendants.Warren County Courthouse / Warren County Jail


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