Lawsuit filed against Torrance rehab center in fatal drunk driving case

The family of a Torrance man killed by a drunk driver who was a substance-abuse counselor has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the drug rehab center where she worked.

Sherri Wilkins, who was employed by Twin Town Treatment Center in Torrance, is serving a 55-year-to-life prison sentence for the death of 31-year- old Phillip Moreno, whom she struck with her car on Nov. 24, 2012.

At the time of the crash, Wilkins told police she was heading home from work, but the treatment center denies she was working at the facility that day, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The wrongful death lawsuit filed Thursday morning in Los Angeles Superior Court alleges that the treatment center was negligent because it failed to properly monitor Wilkins, The Times reported.

Several witnesses, including a brother-in-law of the victim, say Wilkins would doze off during treatment sessions and appeared to be under the influence of drugs and alcohol, according to an attorney representing Moreno’s family.

“This organization could have absolutely prevented this accident and shares responsibility for what happened,” said attorney Brian Kabateck, according to The Times. “If they had caught her drinking and using drugs they could’ve terminated her employment or at least got her drug and alcohol rehabilitation themselves.”

David Lisonbee, chief executive of Twin Town Treatment Center, said in a written statement quoted by The Times that the center had not received a formal notice about the lawsuit.

“Twin Town had no knowledge of Ms. Wilkins’ relapse,” Lisonbee said, adding that she had received good ratings from supervisors and clients up to the day of the incident. “We had no cause to intrude or challenge her recovery.”

—City News Service