Mohawk Faces Wrongful Death Suit

Calhoun, GA, Aug. 22--Mohawk Industries Inc. has been sued by the parents of a Chatsworth police officer who died in a security gate accident at the company's facility in Chatsworth, GA, according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle. The family of officer Jonathan Cole Martin claims Mohawk was aware of problems with a faulty security gate and alleges the company did nothing to fix the problem. The wrongful death claim, filed in Superior Court of Murray County, asks for $20 million in damages. On April 25, 2003, Martin died when the security gate struck him through his car windshield while he was on patrol at the property. The gate swung into the direction of cars that would be leaving the plant. The suit claims a similar accident occurred on Aug. 30, 2002, when the security gate pierced the windshield of a vehicle driven by Derrick Nathaniel Maddux. The suit alleges Mohawk knew there was a problem with the gate following the Maddux accident and claims Mohawk did not address the gate problem prior to the Martin accident. Mohawk General Counsel Sal Perillo said Mohawk did address the problem following the Maddux accident. "We took remedial measures by putting extra clamps on the gate and chain to hold it," Perillo said. "It [Martin's accident] was an unusual and bizarre accident, as the investigators have said." He also said Mohawk is "just as aggrieved as the parents are over the young man's death. Our hearts go out to them."