Maury Co. mother files lawsuit against school board after son's motorcycle death on campus
A Maury County mother has filed a complaint in Maury County Circuit Court against Maury County Board of Education after the tragic death of her son, Josiah Fisher, while test driving a "homemade" motorcycle at Mt. Pleasant High School.
Maury County mother Renee Hawkins is claiming a wrongful death suit as a result of the incident Jan. 26 when her 17-year-old autistic son, who was not wearing a helmet, crashed into a brick wall at the school, while riding the motorcycle during his AgriScience class.
According to the complaint filed on Nov. 22, Fisher, diagnosed with autism and other disabilities, was on an Individualized Education Plan under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Hawkins claims that her son died as a result of a lack of supervision, or negligence by school leadership, and driving the motorcycle without a helmet. Hawkins names the school district's director of athletics and supervisor of nursing Chris Poynter, AgriScience teacher Tony Grooms and previous MCPS superintendent Michael Hickman in the lawsuit.
"In the two-hours prior to the Decedent Minor Child's death, the following MCBE senior-level staff witnessed the home-made motorcycle being driven without a helmet or supervision," the complaint states before listing the district leadership names.
"Decedent Minor Child's IEP expressly stated that he did not know how to drive a car, did not have a driver's license and did not have a permit ... MCBE knew Decedent Minor Child did not have a driver's license or learner's permit and the same was reiterated in his IEP."
The complaint also claims that driving the homemade motorcycles without a helmet at the school was "common practice," and the test driving of vehicles was known and "encouraged" by former Mt. Pleasant High principal Ryan Jackson, who was named as the district's Principal of the Year in 2021, but resigned at the end of the school year this year to pursue other opportunities.
The complaint asserts that another student, only referenced by initials in court documents, was permitted to bring motorcycles, and other motorized vehicles not working properly, to shop class for repair and was allegedly permitted to set the speed to go over 40 to 50 mph, or above the factory-set speed.
Vehicles were test-driven in an area adjacent to Grooms' classroom the complaint states.
During class time on the day of the incident, the complaint states that Fisher was permitted to work on the homemade motorcycle in question with the other student who brought it to class.
The complaint claims that Hickman was on campus and stood by "while unsupervised students drove a motorcycle without a helmet."
Hickman abruptly terminated his contract in February with the Maury County School Board, ending his term early as superintendent after only 18 months in his position. At the time, board members alluded that the superintendent had not met district goals anticipated by the board.
In court documents, Poynter, who was inside the school on the day of the incident, stated in an email that he saw a student riding on a motorcycle in the parking area.
The complaint explains that Fisher attempted to drive the motorcycle without a helmet with no experience in how to operate the vehicle before the incident.
Hawkins alleges negligence, claiming witnesses should have anticipated the "foreseeable dangerous condition" of her son having access to the motorcycle without a helmet.
She is seeking compensatory damages in the amount of $3 million for past physical pain and emotional suffering caused by the incident.
Attorney Shannon Wiggins of Hughes & Coleman Injury Lawyers is representing Hawkins in the case.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Herald: Maury Co. mother files lawsuit against school board after son's death
