Family Of Teen Killed In Car Crash Files Lawsuit Demanding ODOT, OKC Fix Intersection

<p>The family of a teenager killed last year at the intersection of Piedmont Road and Britton is&nbsp;taking legal action.</p>

Wednesday, September 20th 2017, 6:57 pm



Last Wednesday, another two people were killed on Piedmont Road out towards Yukon. Folks in that area have been complaining for years that stretch of road is dangerous. Now the family of a teenager killed last year at the intersection of Piedmont Road and Britton is taking legal action.

It was August 26th, 2016. The school year had just begun and 17-year-old Matt Silva and his best friend were on their way to band practice. They pulled out into the intersection of Britton and Piedmont road and were struck by a semi. His dad, James, drove up on the accident.

“You need to get your family,” the officer told him “They’re calling Medflight for him to get him to the hospital."

"So I gathered my family and we were praying all the way to the hospital.”

Matt Silva was the second Yukon High School student killed at the intersection of Britton and Piedmont Road in the past four years.   

“Something has to be done. One child is too many, two in the same intersection? Unforgivable,” said James.

Shortly after Matt's accident, his family says crews cut back the shrubbery and added these signs. But they say it's not enough. 

“Stop lights? What’s wrong with that?” asks James.

So on the anniversary of Matt's death, his attorney served ODOT, Canadian County and Oklahoma City with court papers saying the government agencies were negligent and demanding the intersection be fixed.

“As his parents and for the community, what we can do is say, 'Do something about it,'” said Matt’s mother Beatrice.

Both ODOT and OKC say they can not comment on pending litigation. However, ODOT does have plans to improve that stretch of Piedmont Road. That construction is scheduled for 2022. An ODOT spokesperson says in order for a stop light to be placed at the location, typically Oklahoma City would first have to make a request. 

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