SALT LAKE CITY (Legal Newsline) - The estate of a 20-year-old woman who was killed by a fire truck has sued a Utah city, claiming the truck was traveling at an excessive speed even though it was not responding to an emergency.
A lawsuit was filed Jan. 3 against Lehi City and Russell Poulsen by Donnalyn and Jose Serrano, parents of the late Arianna Serrano. The case was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Utah, and the Serranos are represented by Ricky Shelton from Adams Davis, P.C.
The complaint alleges that on October 21, 2022, Arianna Serrano was killed in a car crash caused by Russell Poulsen, an employee of Lehi City. Poulsen is accused of driving a firetruck against a red traffic light purposefully, with deliberate indifference or recklessly or negligently.
The lawsuit brings forth four causes of action including violation of the Fourteenth Amendment; a Monell claim against Lehi City for exhibiting deliberate indifference to citizens' rights through its policies; gross negligence by Mr. Poulsen and Lehi City leading to Ariana's death; and vicarious liability of Lehi City as Mr. Poulsen's employer.
"In operating the firetruck, Mr. Poulson increased his speed before running the red light, despite the facts that he was not responding to an urgent emergency warranting that speed and that he had adequate time to deliberate his actions," the suit says.