Mother of Student Killed in California Crash Sues FedEx

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FedEx Corp. was sued over an April 10 collision on a California highway that killed 10 people when one of the shipping company’s trucks smashed into a bus taking high-school students on a college tour.

Jennifer Bonilla, one of five students who died, was horribly burned in the crash and later died from her injuries, her mother said in a complaint filed yesterday in state court in Los Angeles.

The FedEx truck, which crossed the median and struck the bus head-on, was already on fire before the crash, according to the complaint. The company’s trucks have a history of catching fire through mechanical problems, driver error and improperly loaded cargo, and FedEx has taken no steps to remedy this danger, according to the filing.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating what caused the crash. Memphis, Tennessee-based FedEx, operator of the world’s largest cargo airline, has said it would provide “every resource necessary” to assist investigators.

“Our heartfelt condolences remain with everyone affected by this tragic accident,” Shea Leordeanu, a FedEx spokeswoman, said in an e-mailed statement. “We remain focused on providing support to those affected and cooperating with the authorities as they conduct their investigation. This is not the time for us to discuss potential litigation.”

The case is Rivera v. FedEx Corp., BC543441, California Superior Court, Los Angeles County.