He died while driving over a destroyed bridge according to Google Maps directions. His widow is suing Google

Nine years ago, a bridge had collapsed and a man was trying to cross it, following instructions on Google Maps.

Unfortunately, because the bridge was in these conditions, the attempt ended in tragedy. The man’s car fell through the collapsed structure, costing him his life.

His wife filed a formal lawsuit against Google. The tragedy has left its mark on the family: the man had an accident while leaving the ninth birthday party of one of his girls, according to CNN en Español.

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fell off the bridge

The victim of the fatal accident was Philip Paxson, who left behind a widow and two daughters.

Philip, Univision said, “continued to drown September 30, 2022 when his Jeep Gladiator sank in Snow Creek in Hickory.

This man was driving his Jeep back to his house, “after one of his daughters’ birthday party in an unknown neighborhood, when Google Maps told him to cross a bridge.”

Like many drivers, Philip relied on Google Maps to guide him home safely

Larry Bendesky, attorney, at CNN

The collapsed structure is located in North Carolina, United States. According to the woman, ‘a minimal action could have saved his life’.

The lawsuit against Google

Alicia Paxson has sued Google over negligence”. He claims that “they knew since 2013 that the bridge had collapsed and they had not updated their navigation system.”

The woman complains: “It seems that a minimal action could have saved his life. Nobody wanted to take responsibility. “I don’t understand how this can continue for nine years.”

Alicia Paxson formalized the lawsuit on September 19, 2023 in Wake County Superior Court, Univision noted.

The lawsuit, CNN en Español adds, alleges that neighbors raised concerns about Google Maps directing motorists across the bridge.

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Paxson “walked off the unbarricaded bridge in Hickory, North Carolina, and drowned,” the lawsuit said.

CNN quoted the attorney for the victim’s family, Robert Zimmerman, as saying: “We found that Google Maps wrongly directed motorists like Mr. Paxson to this collapsed highway for years, despite receiving complaints from the public demanding that Google would correct their map and directions to highlight the highway. the road as CLOSED.”

Apparently a woman also took to Google Maps to ask to ‘update the navigation system’.

The message sent would be this: “You cannot cross this road. GPS sends people this way, which is especially dangerous for emergency vehicles. Please update this map so that the GPS is accurate.”

CNN says it cannot confirm this information: the woman notes that she “received an autoresponder email from Google Maps thanking her for the report: “Your suggestion is under review. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. We will inform you when the changes are published,” said the message that was also cited in the lawsuit.

Google sends message

Not only Google is in the spotlight. That includes Alphabet, the parent company, and two local companies that at the time “would be responsible for maintaining the grounds and bridge, as well as proper barricades and warning signs.”

According to the testimony of Sergeant Brian Black of the North Carolina Highway Patrol about the tragic accident ten years ago, “someone should have put up some sort of barrier or barricades in this area. “The developer, this is private property, it is not maintained by the state.”

CNN has obtained a statement from Google saying it “extends its deepest condolences to the Paxson family.” “Our goal is to provide accurate route information on maps and we are reviewing this claim”.

Philip’s girls are 9 and 7 years old. “Our daughters ask me how and why their father died and I am at a loss for words that they can understand, because as an adult I still cannot understand how those responsible for the GPS indications and the bridge could act with such little respect for life. human,” said Alicia Paxson. (JO)