Arnold & Itkin Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit After Fatal Ector County Truck Collision

ODESSA, Texas, Oct. 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Arnold & Itkin LLP has filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the family of Christopher Eric Wilke, who was killed in a tractor-trailer collision on State Highway 302 in Ector County. The suit names US Oilfield Services, LLC, Rickman Transport, Inc., and truck driver Lester Manuel Pena Feria as defendants.

According to the petition, on June 30, 2025, Mr. Wilke was driving westbound in a company vehicle when Mr. Feria, operating a tractor-trailer for the trucking defendants, attempted a left turn across the highway. The truck failed to yield the right of way, colliding with Mr. Wilke's vehicle. The trucking accident caused fatal injuries to Mr. Wilke, leaving behind his wife, Jennifer, and their children Lauren, Josh, Sam, and Nick.

The lawsuit alleges that the collision was the result of negligence by Mr. Feria, including failure to yield, failure to maintain a safe speed and distance, failure to keep a proper lookout, and violations of traffic safety laws. The complaint also accuses the trucking companies of negligence in hiring, training, and supervising Mr. Feria, as well as failing to implement proper safety policies and procedures.

In addition to negligence, the petition asserts claims for gross negligence, alleging that the defendants acted with conscious disregard for the safety of others despite knowing the risks of their conduct. The Wilke family is seeking actual damages for pain and suffering, loss of companionship and consortium, lost wages, loss of inheritance, and funeral expenses. The suit also seeks exemplary damages under Texas law.

The Wilke family is represented by Texas truck accident attorneys Jason Itkin, Noah Wexler, Trevor Courtney, Daniel Cassee, and Foster Willie of Arnold & Itkin LLP, along with Michael P. Lyons and Michael S. Fechner, Jr. of Lyons & Simmons, LLP. The case has been filed in Ector County District Court, and the plaintiffs have requested a jury trial.

Comment from Jason Itkin, co-founder of Arnold & Itkin LLP:

"No trucker with sufficient training and experience would have behaved like the defendant acted. This is why the law strictly regulates the hiring and vetting process for new drivers, and why the law holds trucking companies responsible for the drivers they put out on the highway. No family should have to suffer like our clients have."

About Arnold & Itkin LLP
Arnold & Itkin LLP is a nationally recognized truck accident trial law firm in Houston that represents workers and families in high-stakes oilfield and big rig injury cases, including tanker truck accidents, oil derrick explosions, and other catastrophic accidents. The oilfield accident firm has recovered over $20 billion in verdicts and settlements nationwide, including a $357.7 million settlement—the largest workplace accident settlement in Texas history. To learn more, visit them online at https://www.arnolditkin.com/.

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SOURCE Arnold & Itkin LLP