MOUNDSVILLE - An eight-member jury was seated in Marshall County Circuit Court Monday for a civil case against AEP Ohio that stems from a deadly 2007 explosion at American Electric Power's Muskingum River Power Plant near Beverly, Ohio.
Lewis Timmons, a 61-year-old truck driver from New Martinsville, died as a result of the explosion. The lawsuit related to his death is one of several civil cases filed against the electric company in connection with the incident.
A Washington County, Ohio, jury awarded $5.57 million in June to an injured worker from Caldwell, Ohio. It determined Ohio Power, a division of AEP, acted with disregard to safety standards, which contributed to the explosion.
In that case, Wheeling attorney Geoffrey Brown entered evidence that claimed AEP officials knew an explosion was possible and avoidable, yet failed to act.
"It was not a matter of if, but when it would explode," he said during the trial.
AEP attorneys denied any wrongdoing, suggesting the hydrogen storage system that exploded was maintained by another company.
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Case Notes
An eight-member jury was seated in Marshall County Circuit Court Monday for a civil case against AEP Ohio that stems from a deadly 2007 explosion at American Electric Power's Muskingum River Power Plant near Beverly, Ohio.
Lewis Timmons, a 61-year-old truck driver from New Martinsville, died as a result of the explosion.
It took most of the day Monday to seat a jury in the Timmons' wrongful death suit with Judge David Hummel presiding. Several potential jurors were dismissed during a morning session, while others who had been called did not appear in the courtroom until they were called again later in the day.
Deputy Circuit Clerk Joseph Rucki said selection of the panel of eight jurors was completed about 5:30 p.m. Thirty-two potential jurors had been called.
Opening arguments in the case will begin at 9 a.m. today.
