ADS Logistics Company, headquartered in Chesterton, is one of several parties being sued by the estate of a woman killed two years ago when the car in which she was riding was struck by a steel coil loaded onto a hauler—according to the lawsuit—by ADS.

The suit was filed in Porter Superior Court on Jan. 6.

The suit states that, on Jan. 11, 2010, Shannon Steele was a passenger in a vehicle northbound on Ind. 37N near Orleans in Orange County, Ind., when a 43,960-pound coil being hauled on a southbound flatbed trailer fell into the northbound lane and struck the vehicle. Steele—survived by a 3-year-old child, the suit states—died of injuries sustained in the accident.

The suit makes the following allegations:

•The coil was loaded onto the flatbed trailer at an ADS facility in Portage.

•The rig was owned by Kendall Transportation.

•The rig was driven by Israel Rankin.

•The trailer was manufactured by Reitnouer Inc.

•Rankin, Kendall, and ADS “were responsible, in whole or part, for securing the steel coil placed upon the flatbed trailer,” the suit alleges.

•The “tie-down points on the trailer manufactured by Reitnouer failed, allowing the steel coil to become detached,” the suit alleges.

•Steele “was killed as a direct and proximate result of the negligence of Rankin, Kendall, ADS, and Reitnouer,” the suit alleges.

•ADS in particular “was negligent by failing to have an established system safety management plan to identify and control hazards”; “was negligent (i.e. careless) in the manner and securing of steel loads, including the steel coil that resulted in the death of Steele”; “was negligent in the hiring, retention, training, and supervision of its employees”; and “was negligent in the maintenance and inspection of its tractor trailer,” the suit alleges.

Steele’s estate is seeking a jury trial and damages, including “reasonable medical expenses, hospital expenses, funeral expenses, burial expenses, lost earnings, and lost love, care, affection, and parental guidance” which Steele provided the child.

Posted 1/20/2012