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November 15, 2009

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LV woman sues tiremaker over fatal wreck

Tuesday, Sept. 28, 1999 | 11:36 a.m.

A Las Vegas woman and her family sued Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. and several other auto industry companies, alleging a defective Bridgestone tire blew out and caused her husband's death in 1997.

Santa Reyes Rocha alleged Bridgestone's tire model FR480 malfunctioned while her husband, Gustavo Rocha, was driving a Dodge Caravan on Interstate 80 in Lincoln County, Neb.

The suit said that as a result of the blowout, Rocha lost control of the vehicle, it rolled several times, killing Rocha and wounding his wife and children.

Allstate Rent A Car, Grand Rent A Car Corp. doing business as Avis Rent a Car, American Tire Distributors, LHM Fleet/Lease and Chapman's Las Vegas Dodge Inc. were also sued for allegedly selling the vehicle with an allegedly defective tire amongst themselves before it was eventually sold to the Rocha family.

Bridgestone, based in Nashville, Tenn., declined to comment.

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