A jury awarded $1,077,531 to five men injured in a collision with a driver who fell asleep at the wheel. In 2006, the men, landscapers ranging in age from 19 to 40, were on their way home from work when a pickup driven by John Paul Gonzales and owned by Republic Waste Services struck them head-on. All five men were injured and together their medical expenses totaled $343,230. At the time of the crash, Gonzales had been awake for 19 hours after working a full shift and attending a baseball game with other Republic Waste employees, including a supervisor who had dropped Gonzales off at the company truck after they had spent approximately four hours at a bar following the game. Gonzales admitted falling asleep at the wheel, but denied allegations that alcohol played a role. The jury found Gonzales 70 percent and Republic Waste 30 percent negligent.
