Company Says Truck Driver Wasn’t Using Wireless Device

A Virginia and North Carolina trucking company denies one of its drivers was using a wireless device when a company rig rear-ended a South Dakota motorcyclist.

Randall and Vicki Helwig from Sioux Falls sued Old Dominion Freight Line Inc. in federal court, claiming driver Jeffrey Peterson was distracted by the device when he rear-ended Randall Helwig’s motorcycle.

Helwig says he was riding on Interstate 229 in Sioux Falls on July 31 when he was rear-ended by Peterson, who was using a messaging device to communicate with the company.

The lawsuit says Peterson was cited for careless driving and Helwig suffered injuries that required surgery and a long hospital stay.

The company says in its response that Peterson glanced at the device but was not utilizing it.