Bob Kasarda

LAPORTE — Negligence lawsuits were filed this week by a New Prairie High School student baseball player and a coach, who were among those struck by an accused intoxicated driver earlier this year while on the way to a game in Hobart, records show.

The junior varsity player on the New Prairie United School Corporation bus is identified in one suit as Jackson Vanlue, while the second suit was brought by New Prairie school board member and volunteer junior varsity baseball coach Richard Shail.

Both suits target the accused intoxicated driver Shawn Akison; companies allegedly tied to his vehicle, including Amazon; and the St. Joseph County Sheriff's Department, which had reportedly been pursuing Akison before the crash.

The civil suits accuse Amazon of engaging in a "race to th

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