Teen volleyball player who lost legs in crash sues both drivers and the city of St Louis

A Tennessee high school volleyball star is suing the city of St. Louis with two drivers involved in a catastrophic car accident that caused her to lose both of her legs.

Janae Edmondson, 17, was crossing an intersection with her family in St Louis on February 18 when a speeding car collided with another, CBS News reported.

The high school student, in town for a volleyball tournament, was trapped between the two vehicles.

She is now suing alleged speeding driver Daniel Riley, who was on bail on a previous armed robbery charge despite his bail violations.

The other driver, Elizabeth Smith, was driving without a valid license, according to the lawsuit.

Alleged speeding driver Daniel Riley was on bail on a previous armed robbery charge despite countless bail violations

Riley was placed under house arrest with GPS surveillance as he awaited trial for robbery, but raped him dozens of times, KSDK reported.

In April 2022, Judge Bryan Hettenbach issued an order declaring that Riley could remain free and set a trial date for three months later.

The case never went to trial because “the state was not ready”, according to court documents seen by the KSDK.

By the time Edmondson was hit in February, court records show Riley had violated the terms of his bail nearly 90 times.

The crash solidified anger at then-Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner amid fears that his office malfunction allowed Riley to go free.

Gardner, backed by George Soros, who is not named in the lawsuit, resigned in disgrace in May.

Edmondson, now 18, had her bright future brutally snatched away,’ the lawsuit filed Tuesday by attorney Kevin Carnie Jr. states.

The filings call the crash “completely preventable.”

Edmondson graduated from high school in May and is still recovering from injuries sustained in the accident

Janae Edmondson was crossing an intersection with her family in St Louis on February 18 when a speeding car collided with another and pinned her between the vehicles

The other driver, Elizabeth Smith, was driving without a valid license, the lawsuit alleges

A GoFundMe campaign to help Edmondson has raised over $820,000

Janae Edmondson, a high school multi-sport athlete visiting St. Louis for a volleyball tournament, was brutally snatched away from her bright future,’ lawsuit alleges

Edmondson’s lawsuit also faulted the city for failing to maintain a safe intersection, citing inadequate signage as buildings blocked the view of oncoming traffic.

‘St. Louis negligently permitted and maintained an unsafe condition at the intersection, creating an unreasonable risk of injury to pedestrians,’ the filing states.

Riley’s mother, who leased the Audi he was driving, is named in the lawsuit for allegedly allowing Riley to use the vehicle despite “showing habitual recklessness while operating automobiles”, according to court documents.

“Janae Edmondson, a high school multi-sport athlete visiting St. Louis for a volleyball tournament, had her bright future brutally ripped apart when she was crushed between two vehicles following a car accident. , resulting in the amputation of both of his legs,” the lawsuit reads.

“The accident, involving a robbery suspect who had violated the terms of his bail dozens of times over several months, was entirely preventable,” he continued.

Edmondson is seeking damages in excess of $25,000 from Riley, her mother, Kimberly, the city and the driver of the other vehicle, and EAN Holdings LLC, the rental car company that operates under the name of Enterprise Rent-A-Car.

Riley remains jailed pending trial in his criminal case, CBS reported.

Edmondson, who graduated from high school in May, is still recovering and completed her last surgery on June 12, her 18th birthday, according to a fundraiser held to support her.

THE Go to Fund Me page had reached over $820,000 by Thursday night.

Saint-Louis has not yet responded to the lawsuit.