South Carolina Jury Awards $12M Against Toyota in SUV Crash Suit

A South Carolina jury has awarded $12 million to the family of a high school senior who died after an axle fractured on her SUV almost six years ago.

The Greenville News reports an Anderson County jury ruled in the case of Lacee Dial against Toyota Motor Corp. and two other defendants. The lawsuit said Toyota knew or should have known of other fractures on Toyota 4Runners.

A lawsuit filed in 2013 said Lacee Dial was driving near Williamston on Sept. 15, 2012, when the left rear axle fractured and the wheel came off. The SUV rolled and hit a utility pole, trapping Dial for about two hours before she died.

A Toyota spokesman said the company still does not believe the accident resulted from a defect in the vehicle.