Six road workers fell to their death when the Key Bridge collapsed and one co-worker survived, but little has been said of an inspector, Damon Davis, who was also heading to his car on break when the Dali cargo ship rammed into the structure and he now suffers from PTSD.
“So he let go of his car and he began running. His car went down with the bridge, and he took a giant leap to make it to that part of the bridge that was still standing,” said Attorney Ron Richardson, “He made that leap successfully, but he was not sure the bridge was not going to continue collapsing so he just kept running for his life.”
The ship’s owner and manager quickly filed a limitation of liability action in federal court trying to cap potential damages at the value of the ship and its cargo—-$44 million, but the federal government’s civil suit announced this week seeks $100 million to cover the costs of the cleanup and it doesn’t stop there.
Attorneys argue the Justice Department’s demand for punitive damages is an extraordinary legal step, signaling a heightened level of accountability.