Two families in Metro Detroit have taken legal action following a traumatic incident at an Auburn Hills test track where their children were severely injured. The crash, detailed in lawsuits and reported on by CBS News Detroit, occurred during a vehicle demonstration as part of a summer STEM program.
The lawsuit names multiple defendants, including Continental Automotive Systems Inc., Ford Motor Company, the Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program (DAPCEP), and the driver, Linus Gugino. At the center of the concern, the suit alleges that the driver purposely lost control of a Mustang Dark Horse prototype in an attempt to enhance the excitement of the demonstration, which led to him crashing into a guardrail and striking spectators, including the two children. Struck by the vehicle, the children, aged eight and ten, suffered horrific injuries, as recounted by FOX 2 Detroit, who obtained details of the crash aftermath.
According to CBS News Detroit , the children now struggle with severe physical and cognitive challenges, setting them back both academically and in their daily lives. Vincent Gibson, whose son Elijah was one of the injured, described the event, "It was absolutely hands down, the worst moment of my life." Elijah suffered from a traumatic brain injury, skull fractures, and multiple leg fractures.
The attorney, Jon Marko, who represents both families, stated, "These kids went from being top of their class overachievers, to be able to get into this program and to be future engineers, to struggling with some of the most basic things," in a statement obtained by CBS News Detroit. The parties involved in the lawsuit have refrained from commenting on pending litigation. The lawsuits allege negligence, gross negligence, direct negligence, and negligent entrustment among the counts filed in Oakland County Circuit Court.
Marko has emphasized the preventable nature of the tragedy, questioning the qualifications of the driver and the safety measures at the event. The plaintiffs seek a jury-determined judgment that is "just and fair to fully compensate for their damages," as echoed in the civil lawsuits filed and reported by FOX 2 Detroit.
