A grieving father has filed a $39 million wrongful death lawsuit alleging that dangerous road conditions and a defective vehicle were responsible for the fatal crash of his 17-year-old daughter, Mai Grace Tankersley, in Oregon. The lawsuit, filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court on July 23, names the City of Beaverton, Washington County, the Oregon Department of Transportation, Stellantis N.V., and FCA US as defendants.
According to the complaint, Tankersley, an Aloha High School student, had just completed her second day of training at Dutch Bros on July 25, 2024. She was driving a new, unfamiliar route home on Southwest Tile Flat Road when the incident occurred. The lawsuit contends that she was traveling at the road's unposted 55 mph speed limit when her 2005 Jeep Wrangler lost control on an uphill section where the road narrows and curves slightly. The vehicle's passenger-side wheels reportedly dropped onto the gravel shoulder, leading the SUV to cross lanes, descend an embankment, strike a tree, and roll over. Tankersley died at the scene.
David Tankersley's lawsuit asserts that the tragedy was preventable and stemmed from a roadway known for its hazards. The complaint details that at one point where the Jeep left the pavement, the northbound lane measured only 8 feet 6 inches wide, with a narrow gravel shoulder. It claims the road lacked adequate recovery space for motorists, no roadside barriers, and a speed limit too high for its design. The lawsuit further alleges the road did not meet applicable design standards, noting that Oregon generally requires 12-foot travel lanes, with some local roads using 10-foot lanes, and Beaverton's own standards calling for shoulders at least two feet wide.
The suit also targets the vehicle itself, alleging that its rollover protection system failed. Tankersley's father stated he purchased the 2005 Jeep Wrangler, which had approximately 48,300 miles and was in excellent condition, believing its roll cage would offer protection. Despite Tankersley wearing her seatbelt, the lawsuit claims the sport bar and side bars of the Jeep deformed, crushed, and separated from the frame upon impact with the tree and during the rollover, failing to protect the occupant. The complaint attributes Tankersley's death from blunt-force trauma to the head and neck directly to this failure.
In addition to the vehicle's alleged defect, the lawsuit points to years of ignored warnings about Southwest Tile Flat Road. Nearby residents reportedly petitioned the City of Beaverton in 2021, expressing concerns that increased housing development and resulting traffic would transform the road into a dangerous corridor. One resident, Ron Anderson, provided testimony stating the road no longer met specifications for a collector roadway and that drivers had minimal usable lane width before risking oncoming traffic. Anderson reported witnessing Tankersley's crash and urged officials to implement safety improvements, including lowering the speed limit, adding warning signs, and widening the road, before approving further development. The complaint also notes that between 2008 and 2022, there were 36 crashes resulting in injuries along the approximately four-mile stretch of road.
Mai Grace Tankersley was a student at Aloha High School with aspirations of becoming a history teacher. Her family described her as kind and loving. The City of Beaverton, Washington County, and the Oregon Department of Transportation have declined to comment due to the pending litigation. Stellantis N.V. and FCA US have been contacted for comment.