PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The family of a construction flagger, who state police say was killed when a Portland General Electric truck was backing up, is filing a lawsuit against the company for $5 million.
The incident occurred on Jan. 13, 2021. PGE crews were working to repair power lines near milepost 32 on Highway 26 in Mount Hood due to storms the previous night.
PGE employee Josh Rinard was backing up a company truck when it hit Brenda Stader, according to the lawsuit. Stader, a mother and traffic control flagger, was 50 years old at the time of her death.
In the lawsuit, estate representative Glen S. Shearer is suing the PGE corporation and Rinard on behalf of Stader’s estate, including her children. The wrongful death lawsuit was filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court on Sept. 20.
The lawsuit, which is demanding a jury trial, seeks $2.5 million in economic damages for Stader’s estate and children and $2.5 million in non-economic damages.
“The accident involving Brenda Stader was tragic,” Andrea Platt, a PGE spokesperson, said. “We have not been served with any lawsuit as yet.”
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KOIN 6 News also emailed the estate’s attorney for comment on the pending litigation but did not receive a response before publication.