Jury Awards Texas Family $165M in FedEx Wrongful Death Suit

A jury in Santa Fe has awarded an El Paso, Texas family $165 million in a wrongful death lawsuit against FedEx.

Attorneys for the family of Mariali Venegas and her daughter, who were killed in a June 2011 crash involving a FedEx big rig, told KRQE-TV on Friday that the verdict sends a message to FedEx to improve driver training.

FedEx spokesman Jack Pfeiffer says the company “respectfully” disagrees with the jury’s verdict and plans to explore other options, including appeal.

Authorities say the FedEx vehicle slammed into the back of Venegas’ pickup truck, which was pulled over on I-10 outside Las Cruces. Venegas was heading to Deming with her 4-year-old daughter and then 19-month-old son, who survived.

FedEx driver Elizabeth Quintana also died.