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Jury awards local family $4.8 million Lawsuit filed after man was killed by a drunken driver By Chitra Subramanyam DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER After deliberating for a little over an hour, a Gadsden County jury awarded more than $4.8 million to the family of a man who died as a result of being hit by a drunken driver. Dwayne Allen Sr., 27, was riding a motorcycle on County Road 157 in Havana on May 23, 2003, when Keith Anderson turned his pickup truck in front of the motorcycle and caused the crash. Allen was thrown from the motorcycle after it struck the right side of the truck. He died from his injuries. Anderson was convicted of DUI manslaughter and is in prison. ADVERTISEMENT In late 2003, Stephanie Allen, the victim's wife, contacted the Knowles & Randolph law firm, who then investigated the case, according to Dawn Whitehurst, lead attorney in the case. "The family didn't necessarily want to go to trial," she said, because they would have to relive their tragedy. But attempts to negotiate with Anderson's insurer, State Farm, failed, Whitehurst said. That's when attorneys decided to file a lawsuit against Anderson. During the trial, attorney Roosevelt Randolph said, there was always a concern about the jury understanding the issue, especially considering that it was an issue of liability. "The defense said our client had been speeding. Those were issues we had to contend with during the course of the trial," he said. The four-day trial ended after the jury in Quincy went in for deliberations Wednesday and returned with a verdict a little after 6 p.m. Now, Whitehurst said, "Further litigation will be required in order for this verdict to be paid." In a statement, Randolph said Allen's 12-year-old son will grow up without the "guidance, comfort and companionship of his father ... While the monetary award can't compare to having the presence of his father, it will ensure that the victim's family is provided for in the future." Anderson was represented by attorney Wiley Horton. He was unavailable for comment.
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