TOBY KEITH - KEITH WINS BIG IN WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUIT

KEITH WINS BIG IN WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUIT

Country superstar TOBY KEITH's family has been awarded $2.8 million (GBP1.4 million) in a wrongful death lawsuit involving the singer's father. H.K. Covel was killed in a traffic accident in 2001 and now a jury in MCClain County, Oklahoma, has concluded the fatal accident could have been avoided if the owners of the bus, which collided with his pick-up truck, had replaced their brakes, as advised by inspectors. Elias Rodriguez and Pedro Rodriguez, operators of Rodriguez Transportes of Tulsa, and the Republic Western Insurance Co. were blamed for the accident that cost Keith's father his life. The Keiths initially suspected Covel's medical condition caused his truck to veer out of control, but evidence at the scene suggested another vehicle had 'sideswiped' the truck, sending it careering into the path of the bus. Keith and his family maintained Covel would not have died if the owners of the bus had taken the advice of inspectors to urgently correct the vehicle's brakes. In the verdict, which was announced late last week (ends21Dec07), the jury in the case found no fault on the part of Covel in the wreck that claimed his life.