Georgetown man injured in overpass crash dies

Family of man killed in overpass crash files lawsuit

A man who was injured after a tractor-trailer hit an overpass in Georgetown has died.

GEORGETOWN, Texas - A man who was injured after a tractor-trailer hit an overpass in Georgetown has died. 

Attorneys say, on Sept. 9, 42-year-old Jonathon Morgan died from his injuries in the ICU. 

"Jonathon was surrounded by his loving parents, brother and sister-in-law, young niece, and so many other close friends as he fought in the ICU," the Morgan family's attorneys stated. 

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Georgetown man injured in overpass crash sues truck driver, company

A Georgetown man filed a lawsuit against the trucking company and the driver that hit an overpass over I-35.

The victim's family shared this statement:

"He was just a wonderful, wonderful man who was committed in his faith and service to his church and so, so involved in his family. He was just the best son, brother, and uncle you could ask for. He was a deep and faithful Christian, and we were so grateful to have him. We desperately miss our Jonathon, and his loss has created a huge hole in our family, and not just our family but everyone who was in his life, and we will never be same."

What happened?

The backstory:

On Sept. 2, an 18-wheeler was hauling an excavator on top of it, which made it too tall to fit underneath the SH29 bridge in Georgetown when it was traveling down I-35. 

According to the police report, the big rig fit beneath the first underpass, but the excavator struck the following one at the SH29 bridge, sending large chunks of it flying through the air. 

"It's our understanding that even though they had a permit to go under the bridge, the actual strike height was much higher," said Kimberly Kayatta, an attorney at Tinsman & Sciano representing Jonathon Scott Morgan.

Georgetown man injured in overpass crash sues driver

A Georgetown man filed a lawsuit against the trucking company and the driver that hit an overpass over I-35.

The tractor-trailer struck the bridge and sent large pieces of debris flying through the air. It caused a chain reaction that led to the damage to five other vehicles and injured at least two people, including Jonathon Morgan, who was driving a pickup truck. A piece of debris went through Morgan's windshield.

"This is utterly inexcusable," said Attorney Kayatta. "At no point should a company be hauling equipment down a high-speed highway without taking the proper steps to ensure the route is safe, and they can easily clear all overpasses."

Lawsuit filed

New details in Georgetown I-35 crash

Police have released new details about a crash on I-35 that damaged an overpass and hospitalized two people.

Dig deeper:

The Morgan family was suing the trucking company, Austin Underground, for negligence. 

"We did have an opportunity to inspect the pickup truck that Jonathan was driving, and the damage is just, it's absolutely catastrophic," said Kayatta. "I've seen many. That's one of the worst I've ever seen."

"Prior to that, we had filed a lawsuit just for Mr. Morgan on his own behalf for the injuries he sustained, and this has now become what we would call a wrongful death claim," said Kayatta. 

According to the initial legal filing, the operator of the tractor-trailer, Alan Collins, was allegedly on his phone at the time of the crash. 

"We do intend to inspect the tractor, the trailer, the excavator itself, but as of right now, all of those are still being held by the police," said Kayatta. 

The law firm Thompson Coe is representing Austin Underground, the trucking company. Their attorney, Stephen P. Bega, sent FOX 7 Austin News the following statement prior to Morgan's passing: 

"We are aware of the lawsuit recently filed in Travis County.  Austin Underground and Alan Collins are saddened by the unfortunate events and send their sincere condolences to all affected by the incident. The company is currently undergoing an investigation to fully understand how this incident occurred.  Due to the pending litigation, we cannot make further comment at this time." - Alan Collins and Austin Underground Inc. 

Austin Underground Inc. declined our request for an interview at this time due to the pending litigation. 

The Morgan family is asking for prayers and privacy at this time. However, they did share a statement about Morgan's passing. 

What's next:

Meanwhile, TxDOT crews are working on the bridge where it was damaged. Drivers can expect nightly closures from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., lasting until Thursday, Sept. 18, for the southbound lanes of I-35 at the SH 29 bridge. 

The Williams Drive entrance ramp will be blocked off with a detour to the frontage road at exit 261. The repairs are expected to last four to five weeks.