Crash victims' families file $70M claims against Snohomish Co.
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NEAR MARYSVILLE, Wash. -- Two families are demanding changes on what they call a deadly stretch of road, and they hope their $70 million claims will help make it happen.
The families filed the claims on Friday against Snohomish County after a teenager died and two others were seriously hurt in a crash on a county road. The families and their lawyers call 108th Street NE near Marysville notorious, deadly and in serious need of safety changes.
"We have filed claims against Snohomish County in the amount of $70 million," said attorney Jim Dore.
Dore says poor road design led to the crash that killed 16-year-old Juan Mendoza and seriously injured his Marysville High cross-country teammates Andy Vavrousek and Lars Kundu.
"The county has known about it and they've ignored it," Dore said.
Dore says repeated crashes on the roadway should have prompted better safety changes to the road. He insists 35 mph is too fast, and can launch cars airborne as they come up over a crest.
Ironically, years before the October crash, Vavrousek warned the county that the road was deadly.
"My son, who was injured in this accident, actually went to the county to ask them to make this road safer, and now he is a victim in this car wreck," said the victim's mother, Beth Vavrousek.
"The road had been modified and approved by Snohomish County, yet it didn't meet national standards, or state or county standards for road design," Dore said.
The county said it can't comment because it has not yet seen the claim, but offered condolences to the victims' families and said the crash is still under investigation.
Lars and Andy's mothers hope $70 million will get the county's attention.
"I want them to fix the road. I don't want another kid's family to go through what Juan's family is going through," said victim Kundu's mother Nola Kundu.
The families want the speed limit reduced, warning signs added and a round-about built to slow drivers down.
"I feel the county failed in not just protecting kids but anybody that drives down that road," said Beth Vavrousek.
About 3,000 students use that roadway everyday during the school year, and a new housing development in the area will mean increased traffic.
Attorneys for the families allege the county is bypassing public input on those changes. But the county denies that, saying two recent hearings on the matter were open to public comment.
The families filed the claims on Friday against Snohomish County after a teenager died and two others were seriously hurt in a crash on a county road. The families and their lawyers call 108th Street NE near Marysville notorious, deadly and in serious need of safety changes.
"We have filed claims against Snohomish County in the amount of $70 million," said attorney Jim Dore.
Dore says poor road design led to the crash that killed 16-year-old Juan Mendoza and seriously injured his Marysville High cross-country teammates Andy Vavrousek and Lars Kundu.
"The county has known about it and they've ignored it," Dore said.
Dore says repeated crashes on the roadway should have prompted better safety changes to the road. He insists 35 mph is too fast, and can launch cars airborne as they come up over a crest.
Ironically, years before the October crash, Vavrousek warned the county that the road was deadly.
"My son, who was injured in this accident, actually went to the county to ask them to make this road safer, and now he is a victim in this car wreck," said the victim's mother, Beth Vavrousek.
"The road had been modified and approved by Snohomish County, yet it didn't meet national standards, or state or county standards for road design," Dore said.
The county said it can't comment because it has not yet seen the claim, but offered condolences to the victims' families and said the crash is still under investigation.
Lars and Andy's mothers hope $70 million will get the county's attention.
"I want them to fix the road. I don't want another kid's family to go through what Juan's family is going through," said victim Kundu's mother Nola Kundu.
The families want the speed limit reduced, warning signs added and a round-about built to slow drivers down.
"I feel the county failed in not just protecting kids but anybody that drives down that road," said Beth Vavrousek.
About 3,000 students use that roadway everyday during the school year, and a new housing development in the area will mean increased traffic.
Attorneys for the families allege the county is bypassing public input on those changes. But the county denies that, saying two recent hearings on the matter were open to public comment.
