The family of a U.S. Navy veteran is suing Google, alleging that Google Maps directed Philip “John” Paxson to drive over a bridge that was no longer there, resulting in his drowning. In a lawsuit filed in Wake County, North Carolina, Paxson’s family argues that the bridge washed away nine years prior to the incident, giving Google ample time to update its maps.
According to Paxson’s family, he was driving home from his daughter’s ninth birthday party in September 2022 during dark rainy conditions when his truck went off the side of the washed-out bridge.
The family is also suing the owners of the land where the bridge was, claiming that there were no signs or barriers indicating the bridge was gone. According to a report by The Charlotte Observer, North Carolina State Highway Patrol said the barriers had been removed due to vandalism.
The lawsuit states that several individuals contacted Google, requesting map updates due to concerns about the missing bridge before Paxson’s fatal incident.
A Google spokesperson told The Associated Press, the company has “the deepest sympathies for the Paxson family.”
