CJ-2026-1140 - Elida Martinez v. Steven C. McEntire

What's This Case About?

Let’s be real: when you think of electric company drivers, you probably picture a guy in a hard hat calmly fixing a downed power line after a storm, not barreling through Tulsa traffic like he’s in a Fast & Furious spinoff. But according to one woman’s lawsuit, that’s exactly what happened—except instead of saving the city, an employee of Public Service Company of Oklahoma allegedly plowed into the back of a stopped car at full speed, launching it into another vehicle like a derailed bumper car. And now, the victim is suing not just the driver, but the entire corporate power structure behind him, claiming the company handed the keys to someone who should’ve never been behind the wheel in the first place. Buckle up—this one’s got speed, corporate accountability, and enough legal jargon to make your head spin faster than a turbine at a power plant.

So who are we talking about here? On one side: Elida Martinez, a resident of Rogers County, Oklahoma, who was just trying to get from point A to point B on April 23, 2024, when her day took a hard left into trauma. She was stopped in traffic—yes, stopped, engine idling, probably listening to a podcast or mentally rehearsing her grocery list—on Admiral Place, a major eastbound artery in Tulsa. Nothing dramatic. Nothing reckless. Just regular human life in motion. Then, from behind, disaster. Steven C. McEntire, an employee of the Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO), allegedly failed to brake, failed to react, failed to do anything a licensed driver is supposed to do, and slammed into Martinez’s car at speed. The impact was so violent it shoved her vehicle forward into the car in front of her. Two collisions. One victim. And a chain reaction of legal consequences.

Now, McEntire wasn’t just some random dude in a pickup. He was driving a PSO truck—meaning he was on the clock, in a company vehicle, presumably doing company business. That little detail is the legal grenade that just exploded into a $75,000 lawsuit. Because in the world of civil law, when an employee causes harm while working, their employer can be held responsible. It’s called respondeat superior, which is Latin for “the boss pays when the employee screws up.” And that’s exactly what Martinez’s lawyers are arguing: PSO—and by extension, its parent company, American Electric Power Service Corporation (AEP)—should be on the hook because McEntire was acting within the scope of his employment when he turned a routine traffic stop into a multi-vehicle pileup.

But the plot thickens. This isn’t just about one bad decision at a red light. Martinez’s legal team isn’t stopping at “he crashed, they pay.” Oh no. They’re going full corporate takedown, alleging that PSO and AEP were negligent long before McEntire ever got behind the wheel. How? By allegedly hiring, training, and keeping a driver they knew or should have known was unqualified. That’s the legal one-two punch of “negligent hiring, supervision, and retention” and “negligent entrustment.” In plain English: if a company gives a vehicle to someone who’s a known risk—maybe they have a sketchy driving record, a history of accidents, or zero proper training—and that person hurts someone, the company didn’t just make a bad HR choice—they committed a legal wrong. And Martinez’s lawyers are saying that’s exactly what happened here. They’re not just suing the guy who hit her—they’re suing the entire system that allegedly let him drive in the first place.

So what’s she asking for? A cool $75,000. That’s not a life-changing fortune, but it’s not chump change either—especially when you consider what it’s supposed to cover. According to the filing, Martinez suffered injuries that are still affecting her. We’re talking physical pain, mental anguish, possible scarring, lost wages (past and future), and medical bills piling up like unpaid electric bills. Seventy-five grand might sound like a lot for a rear-end collision, but if you’re dealing with chronic pain, therapy, missed work, and ongoing treatment, it can vanish faster than a power surge during a thunderstorm. And let’s be honest—this isn’t just about the money. It’s about accountability. It’s about sending a message: if you’re going to send employees out in big trucks during rush hour, you better make damn sure they can drive.

Now, here’s where things get juicy. The lawsuit is filed in Tulsa County District Court, and—plot twist—a jury trial is demanded. That means this isn’t just going to be some quiet settlement in a backroom. If it goes to trial, we could get witness testimony, dashcam footage, personnel records, maybe even a dramatic reenactment (okay, probably not that last one, but a podcaster can dream). Will they prove McEntire was unqualified? Will they show PSO ignored red flags? Or is this a case where a simple mistake—a moment of distraction, a split-second lapse—got blown into a corporate liability saga? We don’t know yet. But the allegations are bold: that a major utility company, one responsible for keeping the lights on across Oklahoma, couldn’t be bothered to make sure its own drivers could safely operate a vehicle in traffic.

Our take? Look, car crashes happen. Rear-end collisions are sadly common. But there’s something deeply unsettling about the idea that a company whose job is to manage high-voltage systems, complex infrastructure, and public safety might have such a glaring blind spot when it comes to the basic competence of its drivers. These aren’t interns test-driving go-karts. These are employees operating heavy vehicles on public roads. And if the claims here are true—that PSO and AEP hired and kept a driver they knew was unqualified—that’s not just negligent. That’s shocking. (Pun absolutely intended.) We’re not rooting for anyone to get rich off a lawsuit, but we are rooting for common sense. For accountability. For the idea that just because someone wears a company logo on their shirt doesn’t mean they get a free pass to endanger the public.

So as this case crawls through the legal grid—sorry, we had to—keep an eye on it. Because beneath the dry legal language and corporate names, there’s a very human story: one woman’s ordinary day, derailed by a crash she didn’t see coming, and a fight to make sure no one else has to. And if that means a few utility execs have to sweat in a courtroom? Well, let’s just say the voltage’s rising.

Case Overview

$75,000 Demand Jury Trial Petition

Jurisdiction

District Court of Tulsa County, Oklahoma

Filing Attorney

W. Chad McLain and Sarah A. McManes

GRAVES McLAIN INJURY LAWYERS

Relief Sought

$75,000 Monetary

Plaintiffs

Elida Martinez individual
Rep: W. Chad McLain and Sarah A. McManes of GRAVES McLAIN INJURY LAWYERS

Defendants

Steven C. McEntire individual
Public Service Company of Oklahoma business
American Electric Power Service Corporation business

Claims

#	Cause of Action	Description
1	Negligence/Respondent Superior	Plaintiff was rear-ended by Defendant McEntire's truck while stopped in traffic, causing injuries.
2	Negligent Entrustment	Defendants PSO and AEP are liable for Defendant McEntire's negligent driving due to their failure to properly qualify and supervise him.
3	Negligent Hiring, Supervision, and Retention	Defendants PSO and AEP are liable for Defendant McEntire's negligent driving due to their failure to properly hire, supervise, and retain him.

Petition Text

1,030 words

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF TULSA COUNTY, OKLAHOMA ELIDA MARTINEZ, Plaintiff, vs. STEVEN C. McENTIRE, an individual, PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF OKLAHOMA, A domestic for-profit corporation, and AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER SERVICE CORPORATION, a foreign for-profit Corporation, Defendants. Case No. CJ-2026-01140 Judge: RICHARD HAGNOVAI JURY TRIAL DEMAND ATTORNEY LIEN CLAIMED PETITION COMES NOW Elida Martinez by and through her attorneys of record W. Chad McLain and Sarah A. McManes of GRAVES McLAIN INJURY LAWYERS, and for her cause of action against Defendants Steven C. McEntire, an individual, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, A domestic for-profit corporation, and American Electric Power Service Corporation, a foreign for-profit corporation, alleges and states as follows: I. JURISDICTION AND VENUE 1. Plaintiff Elida Martinez ("Plaintiff") is now, and at all times relevant to this action has been, a resident of Rogers County, Oklahoma. 2. On information and belief, and at all times pertinent hereto, Defendant Steven C. McEntire ("Defendant McEntire") was a resident of Tulsa County, Oklahoma. 3. Defendant Public Service Company of Oklahoma ("Defendant PSO"), is an Oklahoma corporation with principal offices in Tulsa, Oklahoma and doing business in Tulsa County, Oklahoma. 4. Defendant American Electric Power Service Corporation ("Defendant AEP"), is a Foreign for-profit corporation with principal headquarters in Ohio and doing business in Tulsa County, Oklahoma. On information and belief, Defendant AEP is the parent company of Defendant PSO. 5. The acts and/or omissions giving rise to this lawsuit occurred in Tulsa County, Oklahoma. 6. This Court has personal jurisdiction over the parties to this action, subject matter jurisdiction over the claims set forth by Plaintiff, and venue is properly lodged with this Court. II. FACTUAL ALLEGATIONS 7. On or about April 23, 2024, Plaintiff was stopped in eastbound traffic on Admiral Place in Tulsa County, Oklahoma. 8. Defendant McEntire traveled directly behind the Plaintiff when he failed to stop for traffic, rear-ended the Plaintiff’s vehicle, and caused the Plaintiff’s vehicle to strike another vehicle stopped in front of her. 9. As the result of this crash Plaintiff suffered and continues to suffer injuries. III. CAUSE OF ACTION FIRST CLAIM FOR RELIEF (PSO and McEntire: Negligence/Respondent Superior) 10. Plaintiff repleads the allegations contained in Paragraphs 1 through 9, as though fully set forth herein. 11. Defendant McEntire had a duty to operate his vehicle in a safe and reasonable manner to avoid causing a collision. 12. Defendant McEntire breached this duty when he failed to stop in response to traffic and caused a collision with Plaintiff's vehicle, catapulting Plaintiff's vehicle forward into the rear of another vehicle. 13. Defendant McEntire’s acts and omissions to act described herein were negligent and grossly negligent and caused Plaintiff to suffer damages including, but not limited to, bodily injury, past and future physical and mental pain and suffering, temporary disability and permanent disability, scarring and disfigurement, past and future lost wages, and past and future medical expenses. 14. Defendant McEntire was driving Defendant PSO’s truck in the course and scope of his employment, and Defendant PSO is responsible for Defendant McEntire’s negligence and gross negligence under the doctrine of respondeat superior. 15. Defendant AEP is the parent company of Defendant PSO and, on information and belief, exercises significant control over Defendant PSO’s operations, therefore AEP is responsible for Defendant McEntire’s negligence and gross negligence under the doctrine of respondeat superior. 16. Defendants McEntire’s, PSO’s and AEP’s acts and omission to act described herein were negligent and grossly negligent and caused Plaintiff to suffer damages including, but not limited to, bodily injury, past and future physical and mental pain and suffering, temporary disability and permanent disability, scarring and disfigurement, past and future lost wages, and past and future medical expenses. WHEREFORE, Plaintiff Elida Martinez prays for judgment against Defendants McEntire, PSO and AEP; for an award of damages in an amount in excess of Seventy-Five Thousand and 00/100 Dollars ($75,000.00), together with interest, costs, and attorney fees; and for all such other and further relief to which the Plaintiff may be entitled. SECOND CLAIM FOR RELIEF (Defendants PSO and AEP: Negligent Entrustment) 17. Plaintiff repleads the allegations contained in Paragraphs 1 through 9; and 11 through 16, as though fully set forth herein. 18. On information and belief, Defendant McEntire was an unqualified driver at the time of the collision described herein. 19. Defendants PSO and AEP knew, or should have known, that Defendant McEntire was unqualified to drive the Truck he operated. 20. Defendants PSO’s and AEP’s acts and omission to act described herein were negligent and grossly negligent and caused Plaintiff to suffer damages including, but not limited to, bodily injury, past and future physical and mental pain and suffering, temporary disability and permanent disability, scarring and disfigurement, past and future lost wages, and past and future medical expenses. WHEREFORE, Plaintiff Elida Martinez prays for judgment against Defendants PSO and AEP; for an award of damages in an amount in excess of Seventy-Five Thousand and 00/100 Dollars ($75,000.00), together with interest, costs, and attorney fees; and for all such other and further relief to which the Plaintiff may be entitled. THIRD CLAIM FOR RELIEF (Defendants PSO and AEP: Negligent Hiring, Supervision, and Retention) 21. Plaintiff repleads the allegations contained in paragraphs 1 through 9; 11 through 16; and 18 through 20, as though fully set forth herein. 22. On information and belief, Defendants PSO and AEP failed to properly qualify Defendant McEntire before hiring him, failed to properly supervise him thereafter, and failed to discharge him from PSO and AEP. 23. Defendants PSO’s and AEP’s acts and omissions to act described herein were negligent and grossly negligent and caused Plaintiff to suffer damages including, but not limited to, bodily injury, past and future physical and mental pain and suffering, temporary disability and permanent disability, scarring and disfigurement, past and future lost wages, and past and future medical expenses. WHEREFORE, Plaintiff Elida Martinez prays for judgment against Defendants PSO and AEP for an award of damages in an amount in excess of Seventy-Five Thousand and 00/100 Dollars ($75,000.00), together with interest, costs, and attorney fees; and for all such other and further relief to which the Plaintiff may be entitled. Respectfully Submitted, By: ____________________________ W. Chad McLain, OBA#19349 Sarah A. McManes, OBA# 33968 GRAVES McLAIN INJURY LAWYERS 4137 S. Harvard Ave Tulsa OK 74135 Phone: (918) 359-6600 Fax: (918) 359-6605 [email protected] [email protected] ATTORNEYS FOR PLAINTIFF