NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — The owner of a Norfolk party bus company has filed a $5.3 million lawsuit against Triton Logistics of Illinois following a crash involving a Triton truck and a party bus in which three people were killed.
The lawsuit filed in federal court is the latest legal development following the December 2022 crash on Interstate 64 East near the Humelsine Parkway exit. The Triton Freightliner truck, driven by Daniel Cramer and hauling beer from Chicago to Chesapeake, rear-ended the party bus owned by Futrell’s Party Adventures.
Brothers Jontae Russell and X’zavier Evans, along with Montia Bouie, were killed in the crash, and about 20 other passengers were hurt.
Towanda Futrell’s lawsuit names Triton, owner Andrew Voveris, truck driver Daniel Cramer and several related companies. Futrell alleges they were grossly negligent and acted with willful, wanton and reckless indifference to the safety of others.
The lawsuit also mentions information reported earlier this year by 10 On Your Side. Cramer told federal investigators he lied to State Police that night in December 2022 about having a second relief driver.
Cramer also told investigators how Triton had a method for falsifying drivers’ electronic log books to give the appearance they had adequate rest between runs, when in fact they did not.
Federal documents showed that scheme went through a data center in Lithuania.
10 On Your Side located Cramer’s phantom relief driver in February. Dwayne Sykes was no longer working for Triton the night of the crash, and had left the company two weeks before. He was at home in Hampton that night, and he also corroborated the claims of doctored electronic logs.
The lawsuit also alleges that Triton owner Voveris and his wife used the profits of their companies to buy extensive real estate, Lamborghinis and Bentleys, and took lavish vacations — and then shifted financial assets out of Triton Logistics and moved them to Lithuania to avoid any future judgment.
Futrell’s lawsuit also claims Triton continued to use the fake relief driver policy for about a year after the deadly crash on I-64. 10 On Your Side attempted to reach both Futrell and Voveris Thursday, but were unsuccessful.
Despite the revelations by Cramer to National Transportation Safety Board investigators that Triton was lying about relief drivers and falsifying log books, the only sanction against the firm thus far has been a fine of $36,170 — for violations related to failure to conduct post-crash alcohol testing, falsification of records and exceeding maximum driving time.
Meanwhile a $10 million lawsuit filed in state court in York County against Triton and its driver has yet to get a trial date.