Jury rules for Plaintiff

Sister station WGOG reports that an Oconee County jury ruled in favor of the plaintiff and awarded her nearly $6,800 in damages from a man who wrecked the vehicle they were traveling in. On Tuesday, the Common Pleas jury ruled in favor of Melissa Seals about one hour after asking to see copies of Seals’ medical bills from hospital visits during August of 2009. Over two days this week, the jury heard testimony that Seals rode in a vehicle driven by Troy Stargel that was headed for a party in Salem. The vehicle wrecked off Highway 11. Stargel did not attend the trial. His attorney, Raymond Allen Tate Jr., said his client was in Pennsylvania where he lives and asked the jury not to hold his absence against him.