The parents of a teenager killed by a garbage truck in March have filed a lawsuit against the recycling company, saying the accident could have been prevented.
On the morning of March 24th, 18-year-old Kevin Heredia was riding his bicycle to Broward College in Coconut Creek when he was struck by a Southern Waste Systems truck around 6:35 a.m.
The family's attorney said Kevin was wearing light clothing and riding a neon green bicycle when he crossed seven lanes of traffic at the intersection of Coconut Creek Parkway and Lyons Road. That's when the truck hit Heredia's bike with its lowered lift system.
"The truck hit his back tire," said family attorney Eric Nowak. "If the garbage truck had its front loading arm in the proper position, it would have had ample opportunity to see him and to avoid him."
The family said the driver's unsafe driving killed Heredia. Now they want to prevent other families from suffering a tragic loss.
"I'm trying not to think about it so much, but it's hard," said Santiago Heredia, Kevin's father. "It will always be there, the pain will always be there."
A spokesperson for Southern Waste Systems said the company could not comment on any pending legal matters.
