Counterfeit Airbag ‘Detonates Like a Grenade,’ Sending Deadly ‘Shrapnel’ into Woman’s Neck, Killing Her

The family of an Oklahoma woman, Patricia Riggle, who was tragically killed when an airbag deployed in her rented Chevrolet Malibu, is alleging that the vehicle’s steering column contained counterfeit parts.

According to an amended civil complaint filed last week in Oklahoma County, the airbag “detonated like a grenade” during a collision on March 1, sending metal and plastic shrapnel into the vehicle’s cabin and striking Riggle in the face, head and neck.

Despite wearing a seatbelt, Riggle did not survive the injuries.

The lawsuit, filed by Riggle’s husband, Shane Riggle, claims that the airbag in the Malibu was not a genuine, compliant component but rather a counterfeit product. This counterfeit airbag allegedly caused the explosion that led to Riggle’s death.

The amended complaint provides a detailed account of how the counterfeit airbag came to be in the Malibu. The vehicle had previously been involved in another collision that resulted in the deployment of the original airbag.

At that time, the Malibu was owned by Avis, which then sold the car to Manheim, a wholesale auto resale company. The vehicle was subsequently purchased by Traum, a company that buys and sells cars at auction, and eventually ended up in Hertz’s rental fleet.

At some point during this chain of events, the driver-side airbag was allegedly replaced with a counterfeit product manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Safety Technology, a Chinese company named in the lawsuit.

The complaint accuses Manheim, Traum and Hertz of being responsible for the repair that involved installing the counterfeit airbag. In addition to these companies, the lawsuit also names Garrett Nettles, the driver of another car involved in the collision, and Tramale Kemp, who allegedly rented and supplied the Malibu to Patricia Riggle.

Attorney Andrew Parker Felix, representing the Riggle family, described the airbag inflator as an “illegal counterfeit Chinese airbag inflator” that forced “scrap metal” toward Riggle’s face at high speeds.

Felix emphasized that the vehicle should never have been rented to a consumer, criticizing what he described as prioritizing corporate profits over consumer safety.

TOP STORIES:

• Lovers in Range Rover Accidentally Roll Into River While Being Intimate in Backseat After Hitting Gear Stick
• Prominent Colorado Attorney Sentenced to 12 Years to Life for Multiple Sexual Assault Convictions
• Teacher Smirks in Booking Photo After Demonstrating to Students How to Staple Awake Cat

The lawsuit was initially filed against Kemp alone shortly after the incident to preserve evidence. However, it was later amended to include additional defendants that the plaintiffs believe may be responsible for the tragedy.