A lawsuit on behalf of five victims of the 2021 Highway 26 washout in George County, Mississippi, is still moving through the courts a year after the collapse.
Three people died and nine others were injured after Hurricane Ida dumped 14 inches of rain on the region, causing part of the road to collapse into a crater about 50 feet long and 20 feet deep. The family of 39-year-old Amanda Williams of Wiggins is suing the state after her death.
The lawsuit, filed in April, represents Williams’ estate, an unborn child she was carrying, and her 16-year-old daughter, who was injured in the crash. A separate case filed in July by Harvy Shows of Covington, Louisiana, who was injured in the washout, and his wife, Paula, was combined with the others. Greenwood attorneys Charles Swayze Jr. and Charles Swayze III represent the plaintiffs.
The plaintiffs argue the Mississippi Department of Transportation knew about a dangerous condition tied to an underground water source that contributed to the collapse but failed to maintain the road or warn the public. In its response, MDOT’s attorney argued the injuries were caused solely by the extreme weather. No trial date has been set, and subpoenas were issued to the George County Emergency Management Agency, the Sheriff’s Office and the Mississippi Highway Patrol in August.