The father of a man who drowned after driving into a sinkhole last year has filed a lawsuit against the city, alleging negligence in allowing the sinkhole to form and not adequately protecting the site.
Kenneth Powers of Chippewa Falls died Sept. 11 after driving into a sinkhole that had formed when nearly 8 inches of rain flooded streets and overloaded sewers.
Bill Powers filed the lawsuit, which names the city and the Wisconsin Municipal Mutual Insurance Co. of Madison, on Friday in county court on behalf of his son’s four children. It seeks a jury trial and damages for counseling, health care and children’s expenses as well as medical and funeral costs connected to the death.
Powers was trapped inside his vehicle after driving into the sinkhole. Police said he drove through barricades and yellow police tape before sinking.
The lawsuit said the city was negligent in building and repairing the road and sewer lines and failed to reasonably inspect them. It also said city employees failed to properly secure and guard the intersection and surrounding area after discovering the dangerous condition.
