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Tucson Region

BP agent's kin sue GM, tire maker in fatal crash

Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 05.06.2008
Family members of a U.S. Border Patrol agent who died west of Tucson when a tire on his Chevrolet Tahoe patrol vehicle blew out and the vehicle rolled have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against General Motors Corp. and Continental Tire North America.
The lawsuit was filed Monday in Pima County Superior Court, a news release from a communications firm representing the family said. Agent David Webb, 36, was survived by his wife, Celia Webb, and their two sons.
Webb was driving a Border Patrol vehicle about 5 p.m. in November 2006 while on duty near Why on Arizona 86 when the rollover occurred, Border Patrol officials said at the time. He was alone in the vehicle, and no other vehicles were involved. Webb was wearing a seat belt but sustained massive head injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The lawsuit contends the tread separated from the right rear tire on the 1997 Tahoe.
"While Agent Webb attempted to regain control of the vehicle, it slid sideways and rolled over," the release says. "During the rollover, the Tahoe's roof collapsed . . . causing massive, fatal head injuries."
The lawsuit says the tread separated from the tire because of defects in the tire and that the Tahoe Webb was driving "is inherently unstable and has a weak roof which caved in as the vehicle rolled," the release says.
The family is seeking unspecified damages.
Webb's family is jointly represented by attorney John Gomez of the Gomez Law Firm of San Diego and John Ramsey of Simon & Luke in Houston.
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