Filer Traffic Death Prompts Lawsuit

The family of a Coeur d”Alene teenager killed in a single vehicle  crash near Filer last year is suing over the death of their son.  That crash killed 19 year old Devon Austin, a baseball player for the College of Southern Idaho.  That accident occurred on September 12 of last year when the driver, 18 year old Ryan Reinhardt, was allegedly driving drunk and overcorrected around a curve resulting in the crash that killed Austin.  Reinhardt also died in the crash.  Others who were named defendants in the case include Kade Laughlin, Ryan Balles, Colt Robinson and Naccona Tegan Robinson.  The Times News reports that Tim and Paula Austin, along with Jessica Duran, the only survivor of the crash, filed the complaint for damages earlier this month.  They claim that the four defendants were chasing Austin and Reinhardt in another vehicle which contributed to the deaths.   A separate wrongful death civil lawsuit is asking for $10,000 in damages per defendant for a total of $50,000 and claims that the defendants, including Reinhardt, were “engaged in said pursuit while under the influence of alcohol.”