Family files lawsuit over deadly taxi crash

HOUSTON

Sandra Jean Smart and Dorothy Britton died July 15 when the taxi they were riding in slammed into a disabled tanker truck. Smart's family has filed a suit against Yellow Cab, METRO -- which contracted with Yellow Cab to transport certain medical patients -- taxi driver David Houston, and Coastal Transport Company, which owned the tanker.

Smart's attorneys said the crash could have been prevented.

"They simply want to make sure that what happened to their mom doesn't happen to anyone else down the road. They're a lot of people who depend on the METRO lift service as we all know," said attorney Sylvester Turner.

None of the companies named in the suit have received a copy of the lawsuit. David Houston is out on bond, facing two counts of criminally negligent homicide.