Late Wednesday evening, a jury in Ector County, Texas, determined the family of a man who died in an 18-wheeler crash is entitled to $49 million in damages.
Steffan Robert Mick, a 29-year-old married father of two, was killed in January 2025 when an OPG Logistics 18-wheeler, driven by Biorkys Sanchez Fernandez, turned in front of him on a farm-to-market road near Midland. Mick was driving his 2001 Chevrolet Suburban home from work as a maintenance technician at ProPetro Services at 6:36 p.m. while Sanchez was driving a 2016 Peterbilt semitruck, towing an unloaded 42-foot trailer, in the opposite direction.
Sanchez approached an intersection and, the jury found, failed to yield the right-of-way and made an unsafe left turn, causing the crash that killed Mick. Mick, who jurors heard was found alive and gasping for air, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash at 6:58 p.m. The jury also heard Sanchez had been driving for more than 12 hours at the time of the crash and had been on duty for more than 15 hours.
The unanimous jury verdict was returned after three days of trial just before 8 p.m. Wednesday. The panel found Sanchez’ negligence caused Mick’s death, as did the negligent hiring, training and supervision of Sanchez by OPG Logistics. It awarded $40.5 million in compensatory damages and $8.5 million in punitive damages.
Sanchez was found to be 35 percent responsible for the incident and OPG was found to be 65 percent responsible.
The jury awarded Mick $500,000 for pain and suffering prior to his death. For his wife, Kayla Callahan, the jury awarded $3.3 million for past and future pecuniary loss, $3.3 million for past and future loss of companionship and $3.4 million for past and future mental anguish. Their daughter, Raylynn, was awarded $3.3 million for past and future pecuniary loss, $3.3 million for past and future loss of companionship and $3.4 million for past and future mental anguish. Their son, Rhyder, was awarded $3.3 million for past and future pecuniary loss, $3.3 million for past and future loss of companionship and $3.4 million for past and future mental anguish.
Mick’s father, Kevin, was awarded $2.5 million for past and future loss of companionship and $2.5 million for past and future mental anguish. His mother, Jennifer, was awarded $2.5 million for past and future loss of companionship and $2.5 million for past and future mental anguish.
The panel additionally found Mick’s death was caused by Sanchez’ and OPG Logistics’ gross negligence, and it awarded $1 million in exemplary damages based on Sanchez’ conduct and $7.5 million in exemplary damages based on OPG Logistics’ conduct.
Ector County District Judge Lori Ruiz-Crutcher presided over the case.
The family is represented by Rob Ammons and Elizabeth H. Lawrence of The Ammons Law Firm and Brian Carney of The Carney Law Firm.
“The evidence showed that this crash was not the result of one isolated mistake. OPG Logistics had no real safety program, no driver training infrastructure and no meaningful system for making sure its drivers followed mandatory hours-of-service rules,” Ammons said in a statement. “When a trucking company chooses to operate that way, the danger to the public is obvious and the consequences can be devastating. For Steffan’s wife, children and parents, those consequences are permanent.”
The defendants are represented by Kurt Paxson and Stephanie Poore of Mounce, Green, Myers, Safi, Paxson & Galatzan. Paxson did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment Thursday.
The case number is C25020166CV.