Suit filed after mother fatally run over with her own vehicle at supermarket

GRETNA – The son of a woman who died a month after an employee of a local supermarket allegedly accidentally ran her over with her own car is suing.

Nunzio Marchiafava, individually and on behalf of Carrie Marchiafava and the estate of Carrie Marchiafava, filed suit against William J. Sarradet, Casey W. Jones, Margie K. Jones, Kirk G. Jones, Casey Jones Supermarket Inc., Torus Specialty Insurance, Interstate Fire & Casualty Company, Continental Insurance Company Inc., Aspen Insurance Company, State Farm Insurance Company and Travelers Insurance Company in the 24th Judicial District Court on Nov. 4.

Marchiafava claims that on Nov. 17, 2012 his mother Carrie Marchiafava had finished shopping for items to prepare for Thanksgiving dinner at Casey Jones Supermarket located at 21 Westside Shopping Center in Gretna when she found a vehicle had parked too close to her car for her to be able to exit the parking space safely. The plaintiff alleges that Sarradet, as an employee at the supermarket, took over control of his mother’s car and left the driver’s side door open before suddenly reserving the car and hitting her with the door, knocking her to the cement parking lot.

Marchiafava asserts that his mother was dragged and crushed under the vehicle as it was moved across the parking lot, causing massive bodily injury while also striking the vehicle Carrie Marchiafava was trying to avoid to begin with. The plaintiff claims that his mother’s injuries included a crushed chest, respiratory failure, a broken spine, internal organ damage, facial lacerations, eight broken ribs and broken legs, arms, feet and neck.

After the incident Carrie Marchiafava was transported to LSU Hospital and then West Jefferson Hospital where she underwent numerous surgeries before ultimately dying on Dec. 15, 2012.

The defendant is accused of failing to protect its customer from catastrophic injury and death, failing to observe store employees, failing to manage, failing to supervise, failing to implement adequate hiring practices, failing to train employees, failing to instruct employees, failing to implement policies to avoid behavior that led to the incident, failing to ensure the safety of customers and the general public, careless operation of a vehicle and failing to see what should have been seen.

Damages no less than $1 million in damages are sought by Marchiafava for wrongful death.

Marchiafava is represented by Douglas D. McGinity of Covington-based McGinity Law Firm LLC.

The case has been assigned to Division G Judge Robert A. Pitre Jr.

Case no. 732-565.