Husband sues over H-E-B crash killing his wife

One person is dead and at least six others injured after an SUV drove into a Houston H-E-B grocery store. One person is dead and at least six others injured after an SUV drove into a Houston H-E-B grocery store. Photo: Cody Duty/Houston Chronicle Photo: Cody Duty/Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close Husband sues over H-E-B crash killing his wife 1 / 8 Back to Gallery

The husband of a woman who died when an out-of-control car crashed into a southeast Houston H-E-B store is asking for more than $1 million in a lawsuit that names the grocery chain along with the driver and another person who owns the sport utility vehicle.

Daniel Sanchez filed the wrongful death lawsuit after Monday's crash at the H-E-B store at 3111 Woodbridge Drive that killed his wife, Karla Sanchez, 31, and injured her 2-year-old daughter and her sister, Maria Castorena.

Also named as defendants in the lawsuit, filed Thursday, are Dorothy Davenport Barnes, 74, and Roberta Johnson Mayes, the owner of the 2005 Saturn Vue sports utility vehicle.

Houston police said Barnes was backing out of a handicapped spot near the store's exit when the SUV suddenly began to pick up speed.

Before crashing into the building, the speeding vehicle knocked away a heavy concrete sphere positioned in front of the grocery store that is meant to prevent such occurrences.

The lawsuit contends the concrete spheres were "deficiently built, poorly maintained, poorly designed and/or improperly installed."

"A reasonably prudent person would have foreseen that harm would likely result from such condition," the lawsuit alleged.

Barnes, as the driver, was negligent because she did not take proper evasive action, did not brake in time and did not look out before crashing into the store where Sanchez and her family had just finished shopping, according to the lawsuit

The lawsuit does not state the relationship between Barnes, the driver, and Roberta Johnson Mayes, the owner.

It argues she also bears some responsibility because she allowed Barnes to drive her vehicle.

The defendants in the lawsuit could not be reached for comment.

On Thursday, H-E-B released a statement to KTRK and KPRC:

"H-E-B is a Texas-based company that cares about its customers and maintains a reputation of helping the communities it serves.

"We are thoroughly investigating the facts and circumstances in conjunction with the Houston Police Department and others to fully understand the cause of Ms. Barnes' driving the vehicle in reverse at an increased rate of speed, crossing medians, the parking lot, customer lanes and into the store.

Chron.com producer Dana Thompson contributed to this report.