Nearly a year after a motor vehicle accident involving a sheriffs deputy and a Dawson County resident, a lawsuit has been filed against four elected officials and the former deputy.
The lawsuit filed May 1 by Sandy Lipkowitz names Dawson County Commission Chair Mike Berg, District 2 Commissioner James Swafford, District 4 Commissioner Julie Nix, Sheriff Billy Carlisle and former sheriffs deputy Daniel Jarrett Simpson as defendants.
The suit arises from a motor vehicle accident May 31, 2013, in Dawson County.
(Sandy Lipkowitz) was driving a 1995 Oldsmobile Aurora, westbound on Power Lane and was stopped at the yield sign preparing to merge into northbound SR 400 traffic, according to the lawsuit, filed in Dawson County. She pulled forward to get a better look when she was struck from behind by defendant Simpson.
The suit alleges Simpson failed to keep a proper lookout ahead and failed to maintain a safe and reasonable distance behind Lipkowitz.
Defendant Simpson was cited for the accident with a warning for driving too closely and was ticketed for driving while unlicensed or on an expired license, according to court records.
Simpson resigned from the sheriffs office three weeks after the accident, on June 23, 2014, according to sheriffs office records.
Lipkowitz is asking to be awarded, property, personal injury, and pain and suffering damages in an amount to be determined by the enlightened conscience of a jury, and to be awarded such other and further relief as is just and proper.
Reached by email, Lipkowitzs attorney, Mary Beth Priest with Clark & Clark in Ellijay, declined to comment.
County Attorney Joey Homans also decline to comment.
Defendants in the case have until June 1 to respond.
Separately, Lipkowitz has served as the executive director of READ Dawson and is the director of Dawsons Certified Literate Community Program. She is also a GED test administrator for the county.