Wrongful death suit filed in 2007 crash

The widower of a Jupiter woman killed in a 2007 motorcycle crash in Indiantown on Monday sued the bike’s owner for wrongful death, claiming he knew the Harley Davidson the couple was riding was defective and not maintained properly.

Daniel Casey, on behalf of his wife Sandra Casey, sued Palm Beach County resident Keith A. Deyo under the state’s wrongful death act, seeking at least $15,000 in damages, papers filed in Martin County circuit court show.

Sandra Casey, 59, died Dec. 30, 2007 after a pick-up truck hit the motorcycle she was riding as a passenger on the State Road 710 bridge in Indiantown, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Casey was ejected from the motorcycle in the hit-and-run accident.

In his lawsuit, Daniel Casey claimed Deyo, who owned the 2001 Harley and allowed Casey to operate it, failed to properly maintain the bike’s brake and rear turning lights. The defective lights, the suit alleged, prevented the truck’s driver from detecting the couple was preparing to make a right turn just before impact.

The Harley was struck from behind and the couple were dragged under the truck before the driver fled the scene, leaving the Caseys on the side of the road.