Editor’s note: Portions of the following information were provided courtesy of Sara Vanden Berge with Beneath the Surface News
A $32 million judgment was recently awarded to the family of Dublin teen Jordan Sanchez in a wrongful death suit involving a farming accident in 2023.
The suit was filed in the 266th Judicial District Court with Judge Jason Cashon presiding.
Plantiffs included Juan Antonio Sanchez, individually, as personal representative of the estate of Jordan Sanchez, deceased, and on behalf of all wrongful death beneficiaries; Maria Juana Merantes Sanchez and Alfonso Sanchez vs. defendant Grass Roots Farming, LLC, owned by Alan Vanderhorst.
The trial involved a 2023 farming accident that resulted in the death of 18 year-old Dublin teen Jordan Sanchez.
The accident occurred on the morning of April 7, 2023 when Grass Roots Farming employee Ben Coan picked up seven teenagers and drove them to the field to pick up rocks.
Coan, who is still employed at Grass Roots Farming, was assigned to drive the loader and admitted during testimony he never spoke with the group about safety measures.
Coan testified that on the day of the accident he was sitting inside the cab of the loader, and could not hear the kids outside while he followed them as they tossed rocks into the bucket.
In court, one of the family’s attorneys Katherine Binns re-read a portion of Coan’s statement from the deposition where he said he stopped the loader to look down at his phone to check the time.
“You were never instructed by Grass Roots Farm to do a head count before you started driving again?” Binns asked.
“If you would have, you would have only counted six.”
That’s because Jordan Sanchez was reportedly bent over to pick up a rock when he was struck by the loader.
Coan said he didn’t realize the accident had occurred until he saw the other teens screaming and throwing dirt in an attempt to get his attention.
“Would you agree with me that you have to be watching and paying attention to the kids when operating a loader?” Binns asked.
“Your distracted driving caused you to not see where Jordan was, correct?”
“Right,” Coan answered, breaking down in tears.
Grass Roots attorney Shay Isham pointed out that the kids knew to hold up their hands when they wanted the loader to stop, to which Coan agreed.
Coan testified that he was not certified to operate heavy equipment and was never instructed by his employer, Grass Roots Farming, about safety measures.
Jordan Sanchez’ mother also testified in court speaking about the loss of her son.
The jury ultimately awarded the family $32 million: Jordan Sanchez’s estate $8 million for pain and mental anguish $2 million each for Juan Antonio Sanchez and Maria Juana Merantes Sanchez for the loss of companionship and society sustained in the past $2.5 million each for Juan Antonio Sanchez and Maria Juana Merantes Sanchez for loss of companionship and society that will be sustained in the future $2 million each for Juan Antonio Sanchez and Maria Juana Merantes Sanchez for mental anguish sustained in the past $1.5 million each for Juan Antonio Sanchez and Maria Juana Merantes Sanchez for mental anguish sustained in the future $4 million for mental anguish sustained in the past by his brother, Alfonso Sanchez.
$4 million for mental anguish that Alfonso Sanchez will sustain in the future.