Sept. 08--An insurance company has filed claims against Modesto, seeking more than $7,000 for the damage to the cars of policyholders involved in accidents with a fire engineer and community service officer.
United Services Automobile Association is seeking to be reimbursed for what it paid to have its policyholders' cars repaired. The claim involving the fire engineer asks for $5,643.43, while the claim involving the community service officer seeks $1,398.75.
Fire engineer Sterling Butts is suspected of rear-ending the car driven by Judith Doidge on July 18 on Orangeburg Avenue. Doidge said in an interview that she had stopped for the red light at Briggsmore Avenue when her car was hit by a fire engine. She said the fire engine was not responding to an emergency and did not have its lights and siren activated.
"I stopped and they didn't," she said. "But they were really courteous and apologetic and concerned about my well-being."
The second accident happened July 28 at 17th and I streets downtown. The claim states CSO Susan Cuevas was stopped in the far right lane at 17th Street at a red light, but still far enough away from the curb to allow Ching Malone to pull up to the light to the right of Cuevas. Malone was attempting to make a right turn onto I Street when Cuevas started to make a right turn and hit Malone's car, the claim says.
Cuevas had not turned on her blinker to make a right turn when Malone approached the intersection. A police traffic report found Cuevas at fault for not being as close to the curb as she needed to be before starting her right turn.
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