A Las Vegas slot machine company could pay out millions of dollars if it loses a case to be heard next week in oral arguments before the Nevada Supreme Court.
At the conclusion of civil litigation, a Clark County court ordered ETT Inc. to pay $6.1 million to the husband of a woman killed when two men employed by ETT hit her with a company truck. The driver had well over the legal limit of alcohol in his system at the time of the crash.
The Las Vegas Sun reports that the two men were temporary employees hired to help move ETT belongings into a warehouse. They took an ETT truck, but instead of using it for work, they allegedly drove around the city, drinking alcohol.
The driver of the ETT vehicle crashed into the woman’s vehicle just as she was climbing into it. The collision killed her.
The ETT driver’s blood alcohol level was measured at .29, more than three times the legal limit of .08.
He spent time in prison on charges related to the woman’s death, but he is now out on parole.
In a 2006 civil trial, ETT was found to be 75 percent liable for the $8.2 million judgment in the matter; the driver was found 25 percent liable.
In its appeal of the judgment, the company has argued that crucial evidence was excluded from the trial, including an audio tape made by the man who was the passenger in the ETT vehicle at the time of the fatal crash.
The company has asked for a reversal of the judgment.
Resource: Las Vegas Sun: “Case of Fremont Street DUI crash before Supreme Court next week”: December 30, 2010
