A lawsuit alleges that a 22-year-old mother tragically lost her life when a "counterfeit airbag" exploded in a car crash.
Destiny Marie Byassee was killed in an accident in Punta Gorda, Florida, on June 11 last year at the tender age of 22.
The lawsuit reportedly states that the airbag deployed during the collision "exploded like a grenade, scattering metal, and plastic shrapnel throughout the vehicle's interior."
The legal action, filed on behalf of Byassee's grandmother, husband, mother, and two children, further states: "Several fragments from the explosion hit Ms Byassee in the face, head, and neck, ultimately causing her death."
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The complaint was lodged with the 17th Judicial Circuit Court for Broward County. Family attorney Andrew Felix revealed that the Chevrolet Malibu involved in the accident had been in another incident in September 2022, where the airbag was deployed.
"The damage to the Chevy Malibu in question from the crash was so severe that the vehicle should have been deemed a total loss, given a salvage title, and taken out of service," the lawsuit asserts.
According to the lawsuit, the car was sold by Enterprise Rent-A-Car via auctioneer Manheim Auctions. Mechanic Haim Levy of Jumbo Automotive was instructed to repair the car and replace the airbag, but he allegedly used "fake and non-compliant airbag components" sourced from Jilin, a Chinese parts manufacturer.
The lawsuit also accuses Levy of failing to replace a damaged seat belt pretensioner, a device that locks the seatbelt and prevents a person from being fully thrown forward in a crash.
The lawsuit alleges, "Jumbo and Levy cut the wires to the seat belt pretensioner so that the front driver's seatbelt would release from its deployed position, appear normal, and appear to function as designed and intended to an unwitting customer."
The car was eventually purchased by Byassee.
"Byassee had no idea that the vehicle had been improperly and illegally repaired, that the vehicle contained counterfeit and non-compliant airbag components, or that the vehicle's front driver-side seatbelt pretensioner was disabled and inoperable," the lawsuit states.
Included in the lawsuit are two photos, one of which shows a "shredded and blood-soaked front driver-side airbag."
John Morgan, another lawyer representing the family, said Byassee had her "entire life ahead of her."
"[Byassee] believed she was buying a safe and reliable vehicle, but our lawsuit alleges that several automotive companies worked to skirt the system by repairing what should've been a totaled vehicle."
The lawsuit is seeking damages for 14 counts of negligence, breach of warranty, strict liability and violation of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.
According to a report by the Miami Herald, only Manheim responded to requests for comment. "While this was a tragic event, Manheim is unable to comment on the lawsuit at this time," the company stated.