In Meigs County, Tennessee, an amended complaint has been filed by the family of Tabitha Smith, who died in February 2024 after Deputy RJ Leonard drove off a boat ramp into the Tennessee River while she was handcuffed in the back of his patrol vehicle. The lawsuit, seeking $100 million in damages, alleges wrongful death due to Deputy Leonard’s lack of proper training and the county’s failure to vet his background or provide adequate equipment.

The complaint details that Leonard, who also died in the incident, ignored road signs and rumble strips, mistaking a small rural road for a major highway, partly due to an outdated GPS map from Garmin, which falsely indicated a bridge across the river. A report by District Attorney General Russell Johnson cited the deputy’s inexperience, poor road conditions, and faulty equipment as factors in the crash.

The family’s amended complaint, which renders the county’s attempt to dismiss the initial lawsuit moot, includes new evidence supporting their claims and demands a jury trial. A separate lawsuit targets Garmin for the misleading GPS data.