Family Sues Driver Accused of Running Red Light, Killing Teen Pedestrian in Tuscaloosa

The family of a teenager who was hit and killed by a car while walking in Tuscaloosa six months ago has filed a wrongful death lawsuit accusing the driver of running a red light.

In a civil suit made available Monday, plaintiff David Giles accused Heather Lea Shambry of striking and killing 19-year-old Megan Elisabeth Giles as the young woman crossed Jack Warner Parkway at Queen City Avenue.

Megan Giles was near the Riverwalk, where pedestrian traffic was heavy on the afternoon of Saturday, November 8, as the LSU Tigers visited the Crimson Tide in Bryant-Denny Stadium that evening.

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The lawsuit alleges she was in a marked crosswalk at about 4:15 p.m. when Shambry ran a red light while driving west in her 2025 Toyota Camry and struck the pedestrian.

The young woman did not survive her injuries, and her family has filed a two-count lawsuit accusing Shambry of negligence and wantonness in a wrongful death.

The lawsuit also names 13 "fictitious" defendants — placeholders for those who may share potential liability — including the manufacturer of the Camry, Shambry's employer, and the contractor responsible for operating traffic signals on Jack Warner Parkway. Those parties may be named as they are identified.

The lawsuit seeks punitive damages from Shambry but does not specify an amount.

The suit was filed in the courtroom of Circuit Judge James Roberts by Christina Crow and Rick Davidson, attorneys from Union Springs and Auburn, respectively.

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