A Texas A&M University student has been ordered to pay $22 million in damages after a Robertson County jury found that his texting while driving caused a car accident that killed a Baylor University senior biochemistry major.
Lawyers said the damages awarded to the family of Megan Small, who was 21 when she died, and Laura Gleffe, the driver of another car that was run off the road in the accident, may be the most a jury has handed out in Robertson County.
Hunter Craft, a lawyer for Small's family, said he was surprised by the verdict, but praised the jury for its decision.
"This case isn't about money," Craft said of the Nov. 25, 2007 wreck. "This case is about sending a message to everybody and protecting people in the future, and in order for them to be able to accomplish that, we told them they were going to have to make a significant award."
The jury deliberated for about 21/2 hours after a two-day trial that ended late Wednesday.
Small was killed while driving from her home in Houston back to school in Waco. She was north on Texas 6 near Calvert. Reed Vestal was heading the other direction when he crossed the center line and hit Small head-on, police reports state. Gleffe, Small's lifelong best friend, was following behind her and was run off the road, causing her car to roll.
Vestal initially denied having a phone when the wreck occurred, but phone records indicated that he had sent and received 15 text messages and made seven phone calls in the 45 minutes before the wreck, Craft said.
Plaintiff's lawyers also presented evidence that Vestal has received multiple speeding tickets since receiving his license.
Vestal's lawyer didn't return a message seeking comment Thursday afternoon.
Craft said Vestal declared bankruptcy prior to the trial, and won't have to pay any of the damages. His auto insurance company will be responsible for some of the award.
Craft said the Small family's intention was always to send a message about the dangers of texting while driving, not to collect damages.
"I think the jury understands it is a growing problem," he said. "[Vestal] tried to say he didn't know any better, and he didn't know it was dangerous."
Prior to Wednesday's verdict, Craft said the largest wrongful death jury award he was able to find in Robertson County records was $6.79 million in 2002.
"The lawyer that took that verdict told me that this was the new record," he said.
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