By Staff
A Conecuh County jury returned the largest verdict in the county's history in a trial involving an automobile collision between a commercial tractor-trailer and a passenger car.  
On Sept. 25, the jury awarded a wrongful death verdict of $1,000,000 against Rowell Trucking of Geneva County, Greatwide Dedicated Transport of Texas, and the driver of the 18-wheeler, Thomas Rowell of Geneva County.   
Bob Prince and Matt Glover of the Tuscaloosa firm Prince Glover Law served as lead counsel during the four-day trial along with John F. Jones, Jr. and Stacy B, Brooks of the Andalusia firm Jones &Jones and Chris King of the Monroeville firm Weaver &King.
The case involved a career truck driver who was driving his fully-loaded tractor-trailer at nearly 30 miles over the advisory speed limit at the intersection of Highway 84 and County Road 15.  
The deceased is the late Joseph Watkins of Castleberry who was 79 years old at the time of his death.   
Bob Prince praised the jury for its hard work in rendering a fair and impartial verdict
Co-lead counsel Matt Glover stated said evidence in the case presented to the jury was taken seriously.
“The jury just couldn't believe that a large company would attempt to hide and cover-up evidence concerning this tragedy,” Glover said. “We always believed that the good folks of Conecuh County would see through the companies' schemes.”  
Prince said the decision brought more assurance for safety on Alabama's roads.
Prince and Glover said the Courthouse staff - especially Judge Dawn Hare, Judicial Assistant Cynthia Johnson, Sheriff Edwin Booker, Sheriff's Deputy Tyrone Boykin, Circuit Clerk David Jackson, Assistant Circuit Clerk Michelle Black and Court Reporter Regina Harden - run a tight ship with which all the citizens of Conecuh County can be proud.