NEW ALBANY, Ind. (WDRB) -- The family of a 9-year-old New Albany boy killed in a crash over the summer on Indianapolis' south side is seeking justice.
Chris Goodrich cherishes the many memories made with his son, Eamon Goodrich, in the nine years and 12 days he was alive.
Math, the video game Zelda, and Pokémon, specifically Cubone, were just a handful of the many things that brought Eamon joy.
“Zelda was his real passion lately,” Goodrich said. “He loved math … I need to put that in there. He loved math.”
Eamon was tragically killed on July 25 when the family was involved in a multi-car crash.
Chris, Eamon, and his younger sister, Brynn, were returning to New Albany from a late summer trip to Michigan, which included exploring the beach and spending time with friends and family.
Eamon Goodrich pictured with his sister and dad. (Courtesy: Goodrich Family)
On their return home, the family made stops at a local library and Culver's for milkshakes. Those are some of Chris' last memories before the family was involved in a crash.
The crash occurred on Interstate 465 near U.S. 31 in Indianapolis during afternoon rush hour. Police said a semi driver failed to slow for backed-up traffic in a construction zone, causing the trailer to jackknife and hit multiple vehicles, including the Goodrich family’s car.
Chris sustained critical injuries, including a head laceration and several broken ribs. He spent days in the ICU. Brynn, had minor injures.
The family has filed a civil lawsuit against Dieson Leron and his employers, Forward A2B Inc. and Solomon Bros LLC, alleging negligence. The lawsuit claims the companies failed to properly train, supervise and screen their drivers.
“The lawsuit’s purpose is to get answers for Chris and Natalie,” said the family’s attorney, Lee Christie.
Indiana State Police previously said alcohol and drugs were not factors in the crash, but confirmed the semi driver exceeded his allotted driving hours. The lawsuit also alleges the driver was distracted and failed to reduce speed in the construction zone.
The lawsuit seeks monetary damages, which the Goodrich family plans to use to help Eamon's legacy live on.
Eamon Goodrich (Courtesy: Goodrich Family)
"Really the lawsuit was the way that allowed us to do something for Eamon that then, therefore we could do something with for Eamon. It allowed us to do things we think he would have enjoyed later," said Chris.
As of now, the driver does not face criminal charges, but Christie said the matter is still being investigated by the Marion County Prosecutor's Office.
Chris described his son as curious, and excelled in school.
"I would put problems on this (white)board, and they were word problems, but they were math-based," Chris said. "I'll use an example from Zelda. Like, if, if you earned 20 rupees for this and you needed 500 rupees, how many days would it take you to earn it? And he had figured out how to solve those problems algebraically, although he didn't know what algebra was."
Chris said his son also loved to spend time outdoors and rock climb, evident by the climbing board installed above his bedroom door.
“He wanted to take care of people,” he said. “If he saw somebody being left out, he wanted to help them.”
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