Author: Jason Waechter | Date: October 16, 2025 | Category: Uncategorized
Our firm has filed a $50 million wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the family of 20-year-old Alexander Ferrell, a Clinton, Michigan, man who tragically died after being struck by a drunk truck driver in Napoleon Township last spring.
This crash was entirely preventable and caused by a professional driver who chose to drink on the job and by the companies that failed to stop him.
On April 24, 2025, around 3:20 p.m., Alexander was riding his motorcycle along Austin Road when a box truck driven by Robert J. Macias crossed the center line and hit him head-on.
Witnesses reported that the truck driver then tried to flee the scene but was quickly stopped after good Samaritans followed him and helped police locate and arrest him.
Alexander suffered catastrophic injuries, including multiple skull, facial, and spinal fractures, that required numerous surgeries.
Despite the efforts of medical professionals, he passed away on June 17, 2025, nearly two months after the crash.
He was only 20 years old.
We are representing the Ferrell family in this federal lawsuit, which accuses Robert Macias, his employer Mutual Trading Co., and Yamasho, Inc. (the truck’s owner and supplier) of gross negligence and wrongful death.
The lawsuit alleges that Macias was intoxicated during his shift, blowing a 0.168 blood-alcohol level, more than twice the legal limit.
He initially refused a breath test, became combative with police at the hospital, and had to be restrained by four officers during the court-ordered blood draw.
“It was the middle of the afternoon and the middle of this truck driver’s shift, and he’s stinking drunk. This tragedy should never have happened,” said attorney Jason Waechter, who represents the Ferrell family.
“A young man lost his life because a professional driver got behind the wheel drunk and because the company that employed him ignored the likely warning signs.”
Our lawsuit holds Mutual Trading Co. and Yamasho, Inc. accountable for the role they played in this tragedy. Both companies had legal and moral obligations to ensure their driver was fit to operate a commercial vehicle.
We allege that Macias’s brother, Joe Macias, served as a supervisor at Mutual Trading and failed to enforce company policies meant to prevent drunk driving and protect the public.
Meanwhile, Yamasho, Inc., based in Illinois, is accused of negligent entrustment for allowing Macias to drive the 2023 Isuzu box truck and failing to properly review his qualifications and driving record.
This case isn’t just about one driver’s reckless decisions, it’s about corporate accountability and a failure to protect the public from a preventable danger.
Macias has already pleaded guilty to several criminal charges, including:
He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 16, 2025, in Jackson County Circuit Court.
We’re proud to represent the Ferrell family as they seek justice for Alexander. He was a beloved son and brother with his whole life ahead of him.
No family should ever have to experience this kind of loss, especially when it was entirely preventable.
This lawsuit seeks not only to hold those responsible accountable but also to send a clear message: drunk driving and negligent hiring in the trucking industry will not be tolerated in Michigan.
Losing a family member in a motorcycle crash caused by someone else’s negligence is devastating. Our firm has spent decades helping Michigan families get justice and financial security after tragedies like this.
If you or someone you love has been seriously injured or killed in a motorcycle crash, whether caused by a drunk driver, a commercial vehicle, or another act of negligence, contact us today for a free consultation.
Call 1-877-Biker-Law or visit MotorcycleLawyerMichigan.com to speak with a lawyer who knows how to fight for Michigan riders and their families.
We will continue to update this story as new developments become available.
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