Family of Turlock coach killed in crash sues teen driver, father for up to $10 million
Family members of Turlock basketball coach Jonathan Williams, who was killed in a crash Dec. 29, have filed a $10 million lawsuit against the teenage driver at fault and his father.
The plaintiffs include the coach’s wife, Belinda Williams, and children, Jaydon, Jamison, Jordan, Jonathan Jr. and Shea. They seek damages in Stanislaus Superior Court for hospital and medical expenses, negligent infliction of emotional distress, loss of wages, grief and other compensatory damages. The suit filed April 16 names Romeil Soheylabady and his son as defendants.
Williams, 48, was on his way to a basketball tournament at Pitman High School when the three-vehicle collision occurred at West Christoffersen Parkway and North Kilroy Road.
A Turlock police investigation determined the 16-year-old driver of a Toyota Camry was going between 94 and 98 mph in the seconds before the collision and was trying to beat the light at the intersection. The Toyota struck a 2018 Dodge Journey driven by the coach’s son Jordan.
Williams, a passenger in the Dodge, suffered blunt force trauma and later was pronounced dead at Doctors Medical Center in Modesto. The Toyota struck a second vehicle. Six other people involved in the crash, including a passenger in the Toyota, were treated for minor injuries.
Modesto attorney Adam Stewart, representing the Williams family, said the gross negligence of the driver, now 17, caused immense suffering for surviving family members. “The loss is immeasurable to the community and the family,” Stewart said.
Williams was a beloved Turlock High School basketball coach who related to kids and was known for attending open gym sessions and shoot-arounds. He was a former girls varsity coach and an assistant coach for the varsity boys and girls teams at the time of his death.
Shea Williams said family was everything to her father. He would leave home at 4 a.m. to work for Tesla in the Bay Area and return to attend the basketball games of three of his children, who played for different teams.
“He always wanted to be around his family,” Shea said. “At times now, I feel I need to call him. I will see something on SportsCenter and want to tell my dad and I can’t.”
Shea said Monday it seems like all five children were raised at the Turlock High gym, and they still have Bulldogs family there, including Williams’ coaching friends. But it’s not the same without their father.
Despite the severe impact, Jordan Williams, 19, said he had minor injuries from the collision. He said he recalled pulling up to the intersection to make a turn. The next thing he remembered was getting pulled out of the car.
“It changed my whole life,” Jordan said. “I would go everywhere with my father. He was my best friend.”
The teenage driver at fault was charged in Juvenile Court with vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. Juvenile Court proceedings are confidential and the driver’s sentence won’t be formally released.
Stewart said the lawsuit was filed under a California Civil Code section that makes parents liable for a minor child’s misconduct that results in injury or death to another person. The state has a $25,000 limit on parents’ financial responsibility in willful misconduct cases, but there is no cap on damages in lawsuits involving car crashes.
The suit alleges the parents negligently supervised their son in allowing him to drive another minor without adult supervision. The parents also signed his driver’s license application. A Bay Area attorney representing the defendants did not return a message from The Modesto Bee.
This story was originally published June 11, 2024 at 3:25 PM.
