Family files lawsuit after man struck, killed by armored truck
The family of an 82-year-old man who died in December after he was run over by an armored truck in a grocery store parking lot has filed a lawsuit against the driver and the truck company.
Ronald Barrett’s wife and three sons filed the lawsuit in Clark County District Court on Friday, court records show. The defendants named in the suit are Garda USA, Inc. and Garda CL West, Inc. — the company that operates the armored truck service — as well as Nicholas Nikbin, who was driving the vehicle when it struck Ronald Barrett, according to the complaint.
Ronald Barrett was in a motorized scooter when he was struck by the truck in a grocery store parking lot on Dec. 17, the Metropolitan Police Department has said. According to this complaint, Barrett was leaving a WinCo store at 6101 N. Decatur Blvd. with Judith Barrett, his wife of more than 50 years, when he was hit.
He was operating a three-wheeled electric shooter when he drove into the road in front of the store, “squarely within the only available designated crosswalk,” the complaint states.
The driver of the 2018 Peterbilt 330 armored truck then “failed to look forward” and began driving, hitting Ronald Barrett and causing him and the scooter to fall, the complaint states. While he was on the ground, the truck continued to drive over him.
Police in December said bystanders attempted to stop the driver, but he continued to move. According to the complaint, Judith Barrett tried stopping Nikbin by “hitting her hands against the front of the armored truck,” but the driver “completely disregarded Judith and continued to drive over (Ronald Barrett) while she watched.”
A December press release identified the driver as 25-year-old Nikbin. Metro said he did not appear to be impaired. The Clark County coroner’s office has ruled Ronald Barrett’s death an accident.
Las Vegas Justice Court records show that Nikbin does not face any criminal charges in connection with Ronald Barrett’s death.
The complaint requested $60,000 in damages, as well as payment for medical costs, funeral expenses, attorney’s fees and punitive damages.
When reached by phone Saturday afternoon, Randal Barrett, one of Ronald Barrett’s sons named in the complaint, said his family declined to comment. A man who identified himself as Nicholas Nikbin hung up on a reporter after a short phone conversation on Saturday.
GardaWorld, which operates the armored trucks to transport cash or other valuables, had not returned a request for comment as of Tuesday afternoon. A lawyer was not listed in online court records on Tuesday for Nikbin or the company.
A previous version of this article incorrectly reported the driver appeared to be impaired.
Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg on Twitter.