Wrongful Death Suit Filed in Eells Death

Shannon Weidemann

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The family of Billie Joe Burton have sued KATV in Little Rock for wrongful death after she was killed last year in a car accident on Interstate 40. Paul Eells, the football broadcaster, was driving the KATV car that hit Burton's car. Both Burton and Eells died in the crash. His car crossed the center median of the interstate.

In its response Thursday, the television station denied negligence. In its filing, it acknowledged only that Eells worked for it, that he and Burton died of injuries suffered in a car accident and that Eells played golf and worked for the station on the day he died.

The Burton family lawsuit, initially filed March 9 in Russellville, said Eells was negligent and that KATV, because Eells worked for the station and was driving a car that the station owned, was also at fault.

A jury trial has been requested by both sides. The police report found that Eells' car did not slow down on the median.