TENNESSEE — A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed following a deadly multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 75 last year, with Amazon, a contracted trucking company, and the truck driver all named in the case.
The crash occurred on May 11, 2025, when a tractor-trailer hauling Amazon freight failed to slow for stopped traffic, triggering a high-speed chain-reaction collision on I-75.
Lawsuit Alleges Negligence and Unsafe Practices
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the family of David Jeffery Huggins, who was killed in the crash. The collision also claimed the lives of 23-year-old Lane Smith and his 22-month-old son, Sawyer, who suffered severe burns and died seven days later.
Filed in Broward County, Florida, the lawsuit names Amazon, Valparaiso Trucking Corp., and truck driver Joseph Antoinier. The claims include negligence, vicarious liability, and failures in hiring, supervision, and safety oversight.
According to the filing, Antoinier was working for Valparaiso Trucking Corp., a South Florida-based company contracted to haul freight for Amazon, at the time of the crash.
The lawsuit alleges that Amazon imposed tight delivery schedules, routes, and expectations that could not be safely met by contracted carriers. It also points to a system that allowed Antoinier to continue hauling freight despite concerns.
Safety Record and Criminal Charges
The trucking company had four safety violations in the year leading up to the crash, according to previously reported information cited in the lawsuit.
Antoinier has been indicted on multiple charges, including reckless homicide, reckless vehicular homicide, felony reckless endangerment, and reckless aggravated assault, according to court records.
Company Response
The owner of Valparaiso Trucking Corp. denied responsibility for the crash, stating that all drivers for the company operate as independent owner-operators, including Antoinier.
He said Antoinier is an experienced driver and should be held responsible for his own actions.
The crash remains one of several high-profile incidents involving commercial vehicles that have raised concerns about safety oversight and freight operations.
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