Jury awards $3 million in Cuthbert Bypass death

CUTHBERT - A Superior Court jury awarded damages of more than $3 million Wednesday to the family of a man killed at a deadly intersection on the Cuthbert Bypass. <br> <br> The death of Emory Hill in a June 17, 2000 accident was one of at least seven since 1998 at the intersection of U.S. 27 and U.S. 82 in southwest Georgia. <br> <br> Hill&#39;s family sued the state Department of Transporation, saying the initial design of the crossroads did not give drivers sufficient sight distance. <br> <br> There was a traffic signal, but ``you couldn&#39;t see the cross lanes,&#39;&#39; said Jesse Bowles III of Cuthbert, who represented Hill&#39;s family. ``Since the state cut those banks back, I don&#39;t believe there has been a serious wreck. They asked them to do something about it the first time in 1999.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Christian Harris, spokesman for the DOT, said the agency had not determined whether to appeal. Two other lawsuits stemming from deaths there are pending. <br> <br> After an eight-day trial, the jury awarded Hill&#39;s widow, Linda, $500,000 for the death of her husband, $1,333,000 in general damages for her injuries and special damages of $500,000. Lori McCook and Lisa Hill, two daughters who were not involved in the wreck, were awarded general damages of $675,000, and $15,000 in special damages. <br> <br> The state has a liability cap of $1 million per person. Bowles said they will have to see how that is worked out.