White Settlement family suing for $1 million for daughter’s 2022 death after truck crashed into their home

WHITE SETTLEMENT, Texas — A North Texas mother is suing multiple people and businesses to get justice for her family after a crash last year killed her daughter and injured her husband.

Documents obtained by WFAA reveal that Amy Kirkland has filed a wrongful death lawsuit over the death of her daughter, Katey. She died in the family’s White Settlement home in August 2022 when a pickup truck crashed into their house.

Katey’s father, Kevin Kirkland, was rushed to a hospital for his injuries. Amy Kirkland was also hurt, but didn’t need to go to a hospital.

The driver and passenger are listed as defendants in the lawsuit.

Donald Gruber was charged with intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault. Police said he was driving the pickup truck when he lost control of it, entered a backyard and crashed through multiple bedrooms of the Kirklands’ home.

Police said Gruber had multiple DWI convictions before this crash.

Peggy Cox was arrested about a month after Gruber and faces the same charges. 

Police said Cox was the passenger and admitted that she too had been drinking. After further investigation, detectives said she contributed to the crash by steering the wheel before the truck crashed into the home.

The lawsuit also lists a Fort Worth restaurant and its parent companies as defendants.

The suit alleges that before Gruber and Cox got behind the wheel, they were overserved alcohol at The Point on Lake Worth.

According to the lawsuit, the restaurant is “owned and controlled” by The Point, Wildcat Canyon, and Woods Inlet Corp.

The suit claims Gruber was well-known at the restaurant and was known to drink until he was intoxicated.

“The Point failed to have properly trained employees, and/or encouraged its employees to ignore the law, in serving Gruber and Cox, which directly led to Katey’s death,” the lawsuit reads.

WFAA reached out to The Point on Lake Worth but the restaurant did not want to comment on the lawsuit.

Amy Kirkland is asking for $1 million in monetary relief.

Note: The following video was uploaded in August 2022.