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Two months after a collision with a GreenWaste Recovery truck killed Dylan Taylor, a beloved Menlo Park and Atherton youth athletics coach and paraeducator, his family has filed a lawsuit against the waste management company and its driver.
“What happened nine weeks ago has torn our family apart,” said Michael Taylor, Dylan’s father.
The Taylor family alleges the accident happened due to GreenWaste’s negligence and the driver’s failure to make a safe turn.The lawsuit was filed by San Francisco-based attorney Mary Alexander in San Mateo County Superior Court on July 8.
The complaint details the occurrence of the GreenWaste driver colliding with Taylor, who was riding his bicycle, as the truck turned right onto Prior Lane in Atherton. The complaint alleges that when the truck turned in front of Taylor, it caused him to collide with the passenger door, throwing him to the ground, leading the garbage truck to run over him. This caused significant internal injuries leading to his death, according to the complaint.
According to the lawsuit, the family believes that the driver failed to give Taylor the right of way, take steps to avoid the collision and to stop the truck after the initial collision.
The complaint states that the California Highway Patrol’s investigation found that the driver was “at fault for the collision and was in violation of California Vehicle Code section 22107 — Unsafe Turning Movement.”
After the accident, the Atherton Police Department also began an investigation on the incident and found no indication of alcohol or drugs as contributing factors to the collision. The full report has since been forwarded to the San Mateo Count District Attorney’s Office for review, said Atherton Police Department Commander Dan Larsen.
“What we hope will come out of this lawsuit is that trucks like this that are supposed to be serving the community are also protecting the community from drivers that are inattentive,” said Alexander.
The lawsuit alleges that the driver was unfit and incompetent to operate a Freightliner garbage truck. This type of truck generally weighs over 40,000 pounds and can weigh approximately 25 tons when fully loaded, according to the suit.
“We are looking to hold GreenWaste accountable and responsible for what happened,” said Michael Taylor. “We consider that their driver was negligent and the company was negligent for hiring him.”
While the police report is being reviewed by the district attorney, Alexander explained that the Taylors felt it was best to move ahead with a lawsuit while “it was all fresh.” Although the family is still grieving their son’s death, they want to make sure there is accountability for his death, she added.
During a press conference announcing the lawsuit, Taylor’s mother, Kristy, recalled the worst day of her and her husband’s life.
“The grief is still all encompassing and overwhelming and we will never be the same,” she said in her public statement. “The pain of losing him is unbearable and we miss him more than words can say. Nothing can bring him back, but GreenWaste needs to be held accountable.”
Michael Taylor told this news organization that with this lawsuit, he hopes that GreenWaste will accept liability for the accident and change necessary procedures and protocols to prevent something like this from happening again.
Alexander hopes that the company will increase training and education for its truck drivers as well as implement a stronger screening process when hiring candidates. She believes that is necessary for all waste management companies, not only GreenWaste.
GreenWaste declined to comment on the lawsuit due to pending litigation. The company shared the following statement: “The safety and well-being of the communities we serve is central to GreenWaste’s mission. We are deeply saddened by this accident and offer our condolences to all those affected.”
The community continues to keep Taylor’s legacy alive through sports, scholarships and conversation. In May, a local family helped start the Dylan Taylor Fund at the Reikes Center in Menlo Park to raise money for a scholarship that will support youth programs. The local Ultimate Frisbee League that he created also renamed itself the Dylan Taylor Ultimate Frisbee League, according to his parents.
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Condolences to the family and friends; may they find peace and justice through this process.
The city of Atherton and Menlo Park action to increase bicycle enforcement following this tragic accident still does not sit well with me. I implore city leadership to take a stand to reverse the statements made and commit to protecting all roadway users, not just cars and trucks.