— A Google Maps lawsuit alleges a North Carolina man died because Google failed to update its map to show a washed out collapsed bridge was not usable.
Locals know the bridge as the Snow Creek Bridge.
According to the Google lawsuit, Philip Paxson was killed while driving home on the night of September 30, 2022, when he drove off of an unmarked, unbarricaded collapsed bridge in Hickory, North Carolina.
Mr. Paxson left behind a wife and two young daughters.
As seen in the photo to the right, Mr. Paxson drove his Jeep Gladiator off the unguarded edge of the bridge and crashed about 20-feet below, allegedly while following Google's directions.
The Paxson family moved to Hickory in the summer of 2020, and Mr. Paxson was generally unfamiliar with the area of the bridge which collapsed in 2013 and was never repaired.
The lawsuit alleges Google has a duty and responsibility to ensure its maps are accurate.
Local residents knew of the danger and notified Google Maps, and in one communication the local citizen even included a newspaper article about the danger.
The Google Maps lawsuit includes messages sent to Google Maps from concerned residents regarding the collapsed and unusable bridge, messages sent two years before the crash that killed Mr. Paxson.
"The bridge on 24th St PI NE that passes over Snow Creek washed away several years ago. The developers refuse to fix it, so you are not able to cross this road, GPS sends people down here, which is especially dangerous for emergency vehicles. Precious time can be wasted trying to get to the other side of the neighborhood through this road, you actually have to drive several minutes out to get there. Not good! Please update this map so GPS is accurate. Thank you." — Submission to Google Maps, September 2020
Google responded by confirming it received the Google Maps email about the Snow Creek Bridge and the issue was, "in review."
Also included in the lawsuit are two businesses listed as owners of the bridge and "the land on and over which a bridge on 24 Street Place NE in Hickory, NC runs."
According to the lawsuit, the road and bridge have and had been made available for public use.
"The Bridge Defendants had a duty and responsibility to maintain the Snow Creek Bridge, including but not limited to maintenance of the bridge, and erecting and maintaining proper barricades and/or warning signs identifying any hazards particular to the land." — Google Maps lawsuit
The Google Maps lawsuit was filed in the Wake County Court of Justice, Superior Court Division for the State of North Carolina: Alicia Paxson v. Google LLC, et al.
The plaintiffs are represented by the Ricci Law Firm, P.A.
