May 30 2007 - Wrongful death suit in 2005 drowning
A Martinez woman has filed a federal wrongful-death lawsuit against the United States, accusing the Army Corps of Engineers of failing to replace warning signs along the Yuba River, where her husband died in a rafting accident two years ago.
Joseph Bailey, 41, died May 29, 2005, after the raft he was riding in with his two sons, then ages 11 and 14, capsized after washing over Daguerre Point Dam, which sits below the water along the Yuba River near Marysville in Yuba County, authorities said.
The older boy made it out safely on his own, and Bailey was able to push his younger son to safety, said Gregory Rueb, a Concord attorney who filed a lawsuit May 18 on behalf of Bailey's widow, Bridget, his sons and his stepdaughter.
Bailey's body was recovered from the Feather River in Sutter County less than two weeks later.
Ten days before the incident, a release of water from a dam upstream washed out signs warning people about the Daguerre Point Dam, Rueb said.
In December, the Department of the Army rejected a claim, a precursor to a lawsuit, filed by the family. The federal government has not yet responded to the lawsuit in court.
The information and materials on this Web site are provided for general informational purposes only and are not intended to be legal advice. We attempt to provide quality information, but the law changes frequently and varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. The information and materials provided are general in nature, and may not apply to a specific factual or legal circumstance. An attorney and client relationship should not be implied. Nothing on this Web site is intended to substitute for the advice of an attorney, therefore if you require legal advice please consult with a competent attorney licensed to practice in your jurisdiction. All attorneys, unless otherwise noted in website, are not certified by Texas Board of Legal Specialization. See Terms of Use.