The family of Patricia Riggle, an Oklahoma woman who tragically lost her life in a car accident, alleges that counterfeit parts in the vehicle’s airbag system led to her death. Riggle was driving a rented Chevrolet Malibu on March 1 when she was involved in a collision. The airbag, instead of providing protection, exploded, sending fragments of metal and plastic throughout the vehicle. Riggle, who was wearing a seatbelt at the time, was fatally injured by the shrapnel.
According to a civil complaint filed in Oklahoma County, the airbag system in the Chevrolet Malibu contained counterfeit and non-compliant components. This resulted in the airbag detonating like a grenade, causing the fatal injuries to Riggle. The complaint alleges that several fragments from the blast struck Riggle in the face, head, and neck, leading to her death.
In April, Shane Riggle, Patricia’s husband, filed a lawsuit against Hertz, the rental car company, Manheim, a wholesale auto resale company, and Traum, a company that buys and sells cars at auction. The lawsuit also names Jilin Province Detiannuo Safety Technology, a Chinese company accused of manufacturing and selling counterfeit vehicle airbag components.
The complaint details the history of the Chevrolet Malibu, which had been involved in a previous collision where the airbag was deployed. At that time, the car was owned by Avis, which allegedly sold the car to Manheim. Traum later purchased the car, which eventually became part of Hertz’s rental fleet. The lawsuit alleges that at some point during this chain of ownership, the driver-side airbag was replaced with a counterfeit product from Jilin.
The lawsuit holds Manheim, Traum, and Hertz responsible for the repair and installation of the counterfeit airbag. The complaint also names Garrett Nettles, the driver of another car involved in the accident, and Tramale Kemp, who allegedly rented and supplied the Malibu to Patricia Riggle, as defendants.
This case echoes a similar incident in Arizona in 2022, where a woman died after her airbag deployed in a used Chevy Malibu sold by Manheim at auction. The airbag in that case was also allegedly manufactured by Jilin.
Andrew Parker Felix, an attorney representing the Riggle family, stated that the counterfeit Chinese airbag inflator forced scrap metal towards Riggle’s face at high speed. He criticized the fact that the vehicle was rented to a consumer, citing corporate profits being prioritized over consumer safety. The lawsuit was filed quickly after the incident to preserve evidence and was later amended to include all defendants potentially responsible for the tragedy.
Representatives for Hertz have not yet responded to requests for comment.