Weather Channel sued for $125m over storm chase death

Image source, Barcroft Media/Getty Images

Image caption, Storm chasers track and film weather events for US television channels

A mother has filed a $125m (拢95m) lawsuit against the Weather Channel over her son's death in a car collision in Texas on 28 March 2017.

Two of the channels' storm chasers, Kelley Williamson and Randall Yarnall, also died in the crash with 25-year-old Corbin Lee Jaeger.

But the lawsuit blames the chasers, who allegedly broke traffic laws while live-streaming their pursuit.

The channel told the 大象传媒 it could not comment on pending litigation.

The suit alleges Mr Williamson and Mr Yarnall, while streaming the chase online, drove through a stop sign at about 70mph (113km/h) and crashed into Mr Jaeger's vehicle.

Mr Jaeger was working as a storm spotter for the National Weather Service. The suit says he was driving away from the storm and had right of way.

All three were instantly killed in the crash near the town of Spur.

Both men featured on Storm Wranglers, a programme on the channel. The lawsuit says the feed from their chase was broadcast live on the Weather Channel's Facebook feed at the time of the crash.

. "We are saddened by this loss and our deepest sympathies go out to the families and loved ones of all involved."

But .

According to the lawsuit, Mr Williamson and Mr Yarnall "had a history of reckless driving when storm chasing" - running stop signs and traffic lights, driving on the wrong side of the road and making "dangerous, illegal passes of other cars".

Their failure to stop at the sign was their "fourth such traffic violation that day".

Nevertheless, the lawsuit says, the Weather Channel allowed them to keep working despite warnings about their driving and watching the driving "during live video feeds of their storm chasing".

The suit also says filming equipment in their Chevrolet Suburban vehicle "dangerously obstructed the view".

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Heavy rain was also reported at the scene.