WAFB 9 News Baton Rouge, Louisiana News, Weather, Sports

BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) – The mother of an 18-year-old girl killed in a crash on I-10 has filed suit against Duck Commander, Inc., the same company that is behind the successful “Duck Dynasty” reality television show. The state of Louisiana is also facing legal action.

Maddie Welch (Source: Have Hope Facebook page)

Madison Welch was on her way home from a hunting trip in 2014 when witnesses said an 18-wheeler forced her off the interstate near Breaux Bridge.

Investigators said she lost control of her pickup and flipped into the median. However, surveillance video from a nearby campground shows a big rig that Madison’s mother, Jennifer Young, believes ran her daughter off the road.

In February, investigators told 9News they have been able to gather very little evidence from the video. However, Young never stopped looking.

“I know God’s brought us too far to turn us back. We’ve come too far,” Young said.

A year after her daughter died, in a lawsuit filed in St. Martin Parish, she has named Duck Commander, Inc. and the state Department of Transportation and Development as defendants in a civil lawsuit.

The lawsuit states the accident was caused when “a vehicle being operated by agents, employees and/or licensees of Duck Commander, Inc. negligently cut off Madison Hope Welch and forced her off the roadway.”

The lawsuit also cites at the time of the collision “ABC Company was a licensee of Duck Commander, Inc. and was operating the truck.”

Young also alleges that the Louisiana DOTD is also at fault. She lists a number of reasons in the suit including “failure to initially design, construct, repair, and/or to maintain the highway; failure to properly install and maintain adequate signs, warnings, or safety devices; and failure to construct and maintain a recovery zone for the highway.”

“[Madison] deserves an answer. Our family deserves closure so we can move forward with our lives and heal,” Young said.

The La DOTD said they cannot comment on pending litigation. Calls to Duck Commander, Inc. have not been returned.