Former Tennessee lawmaker sues Illinois trucking company

KINGSPORT, Tenn. (AP) - A former Tennessee lawmaker is suing an Illinois trucking company for injuries he received in a vehicle accident.

The Kingsport Times News reports that former state Rep. Jason Mumpower, who is currently the Tennessee Comptroller chief of staff, filed a $1.5 million federal lawsuit against Gogu Trucking Express, Sopranos Inc. and truck driver Pavel Gheleniuc.

Multiple crashes took place on Interstate 81 in Kingsport on Nov. 2 that halted traffic for three hours and sent five people, including Mumpower, to the hospital. Police said Mumpower had stopped his vehicle in response to the accident.

A tractor-trailer owned by Sopranos and Gogu and driven by Gheleniuc swerved to avoid a collision and rear-ended Mumpower’s vehicle.

Sopranos Inc. is based in Palatine, Illinois, and Gogu is based in Highland Park, Illinois.

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Information from: Kingsport Times-News, http://www.timesnews.net