The mother of a Bountiful man who was killed when his car struck a horse in April has sued the animal's keeper for allowing it to roam free.
Kristine F. Pugh, the mother of Christopher Pugh, filed the lawsuit in 2nd District Court against William Ransom, of Woods Cross, and R & R Constructors Inc. of North Salt Lake. She is seeking at least $250,000 for her son's death.Christopher Pugh, 23, died a day after suffering head and neck injuries in an accident on April 18. According to the highway patrol, Pugh did not see the horse in time to stop or swerve out of the way.
The lawsuit claims Ransom and R & R Constructors did not have adequate facilities to prevent their horses from straying.
Ransom declined comment on the lawsuit. Kristine Pugh's attorney, Matthew Barneck, said Ransom is a part-owner of R & R Constructors and is believed to be the owner of the horse struck by Pugh.
Barneck said that on the night of the accident a gate to the horses' holding area was secured with a nylon rope instead of a latch. He said the defendants knew, or should have known, that animals previously had escaped and should have secured the area.