TULSA, Okla. — Keiosha Rucker’s attorney says there are facts of this case the public hasn’t heard.
Rucker is looking at decades in prison for a February 2024 car accident involving a Tulsa fire truck. She pleaded no contest to five counts of manslaughter and DUI drugs. Four people and an unborn baby died—two of the victims were her own children.
Rucker’s attorney, Nathan Milner, has represented her for the criminal trial and is now filing a lawsuit against the City of Tulsa and the Tulsa Fire Department.
“This is not that cut and dry,” said Milner, who believes the public has crucified his client from the onset of the case. “That she was intoxicated, that she pulled out in front of a fire truck, everything was her fault… you know, that is so much further from the truth.”
The lawsuit claims the fire truck driver was speeding excessively into oncoming traffic. The official traffic collision report shows the fire truck driver was travelling 61 to 67 miles an hour at the time of the collision.
According to documents, Rucker was stopped on East 41st Street preparing to turn onto New Haven, near Patrick Henry Elementary School, when she saw the fire truck approaching behind her.
The documents state she felt like she had reasonable time to continue her left turn and get out of the way, when the fire truck moved into the oncoming traffic “in an attempt to pass… on the left,” when they collided.
“They testified they saw Keiosha’s car, they testified they saw the brake lights, and they barely tapped their brakes before the impact of the vehicle,” said Milner.
Milner contends his clients did not have proper reaction time.
According to state statutes, emergency vehicles are allowed to exceed speed limits, “so long as speeding does not endanger life.” The statutes go on to say that no provisions “protect the driver from consequences of reckless disregard for the safety of others.”
“There are two vehicles involved in this accident, not one,” said Milner. “You just have to take a look at the actions of the other party.”
In addition to losing multiple family members, Rucker is paralyzed. Milner says she accepts her responsibility in the crash, but he plans to fight for leniency at her sentencing.
He says the lawsuit is filed because the fire department should be held accountable, too.
The other survivor in Rucker’s car during that crash, Ataja Martin, has also filed a lawsuit against the City of Tulsa and the Tulsa Fire Department, claiming the fire truck driver was driving recklessly and caused the crash.
The TFD Public Information Officer, Andy Little, says it is city practice not to comment on any pending litigation.
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