PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA — The mother of a 37-year-old Monroeville man killed when his SUV crashed into two tractor-trailers improperly parked on the shoulder of Interstate 79 has filed a federal lawsuit against the trucks’ drivers and owners, alleging the vehicles had no warning devices placed behind them and were parked dangerously close to the travel lane.
Kathy Brown of Edgewater, Florida, filed the suit Wednesday in Pittsburgh federal court on behalf of her son, Travis Brown, who was killed on October 15, 2025.
Who He Was
Travis Brown was born on January 12, 1988, and grew up in Monroeville, Pennsylvania. By all accounts he was a free spirit who brought laughter and a sense of adventure to everyone around him. He was devoted to living life to the fullest and had a natural talent for making people smile.
Above all else, Travis was a father. He adored his two daughters — Journee, 8, and Kali, 6 — of Export, Pennsylvania, who were, by family accounts, his whole world. He was an only child and leaves behind his parents Todd and Kathy Brown, his grandfather Fred “Woody” Woodward, his aunts and uncles, numerous cousins, and his dog Kane, whom he had adopted a few years before his death. Travis was a member of Cross Roads Presbyterian Church in Monroeville. He was 37 years old.
What Happened
At approximately 3:09 a.m. on October 15, 2025, Brown was driving his Ford Explorer northbound on I-79 near mile marker 50.2 in South Fayette when he struck a tractor-trailer parked on the shoulder just inches from the right lane of travel. That truck, operated by Fleetex Transport and driven by Jagdish Dhillon and Joginder Gill, had been stopped on the shoulder since approximately 2:50 a.m. while its team drivers switched positions.
The Fleetex truck was parked directly behind a second tractor-trailer operated by Gurdeep Singh of Gigg Express Inc., which was also improperly parked on the berm according to a Pennsylvania State Police crash report. Singh had been in the sleeper berth since 11:30 p.m. The lawsuit alleges that neither truck had placed any warning devices behind their vehicles to alert passing motorists. After striking the left rear of the Fleetex tractor-trailer, Brown’s SUV spun into the rear of the second truck. Brown died at the scene. A passenger in his vehicle was seriously injured.
The Lawsuit
All defendants are based in Ontario, Canada. Named in the suit are Fleetex Transport drivers Jagdish Dhillon and Joginder Gill, Gurdeep Singh of Gigg Express Inc., and Sheru Dillon Transport. The complaint includes claims for wrongful death, negligence, and recklessness against all defendants. It also accuses Sheru Dhillon Transport and Gigg Express of negligent hiring, retention, and supervision of their drivers. Attempts to reach Fleetex and Gigg Express on Wednesday were unsuccessful.
Travis Brown is survived by his daughters Journee and Kali, their mother Jade Jordan, his parents Todd and Kathy Brown, his grandfather Fred “Woody” Woodward, his aunts, uncles, and cousins, and his dog Kane.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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