$3.5M Verdict Stands in Crash Case Involving Dish Network Driver

A New Jersey appellate panel has upheld a $3.5 million jury verdict awarded to Jasmine Robinson, who suffered serious injuries in a 2019 crash involving a Dish Network vehicle. The crash occurred at the intersection of State Route 54 and Jackson Road in Buena Vista Township. Robinson was traveling southbound when Dish Network driver Russel Kline, heading north, sped through a yellow light and struck a truck driven by Christopher Stengel of My Tree Boyz LLC. The impact propelled Kline’s vehicle across the center line, where it collided with Robinson’s car before she had even entered the intersection.

At trial, jurors found Kline 40% liable and Stengel 60% liable. Robinson was found entirely without fault. The $3.5 million award was calculated to cover Robinson’s long-term injuries, amounting to approximately $62,000 per year for her life expectancy.

The Appeal

Dish Network challenged the verdict, arguing that the evidence did not support a finding of liability against its driver. The company claimed that since both Kline and Robinson approached the intersection at similar speeds, and because Stengel may have entered the intersection on a red light, only Stengel should be held responsible.

The appellate court rejected this argument. The three-judge panel pointed to Kline’s own admission that he was speeding and made no effort to slow down as the light changed. They emphasized Kline’s legal duty to exercise reasonable care, including assessing the intersection for other drivers. The panel concluded that a jury could reasonably find him liable even absent proof that Stengel ran the red light.

“It suffices to say Kline’s negligence in speeding through a yellow light without assessing whether he could safely stop… caused a motor vehicle collision that inalterably changed a twenty-two-year-old woman’s life,” the panel wrote.

Evidentiary Challenges Rejected

Dish Network also contested three rulings made during the trial. First, the company objected to the use of a police dash cam recording that captured audio of Robinson in visible pain at the crash scene. The appellate panel found the audio admissible, stating that it was the best available evidence of her mental state and not so emotional as to unduly sway the jury.

Next, Dish argued that Stengel’s prior drug conviction should have been allowed to impeach his credibility. However, the court ruled that the 2018 conviction for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance was not relevant to determining negligence in the accident and would not have changed the outcome.

Finally, the court upheld the exclusion of a diagram drawn by State Trooper Jonathan Morenski. While some aspects of the diagram may have been admissible, it also depicted assumptions—such as the moment each driver entered the intersection—that the trooper did not personally observe. The panel agreed that including the diagram could have confused jurors by lending undue weight to speculative elements.

Law Firms Involved

Dish Network was represented by McElroy Deutsch Mulvaney & Carpenter LLP, with attorney Richard J. Williams leading the defense. Jasmine Robinson was represented by D’Arcy Johnson Day, through Richard J. Albuquerque and Dominic R. DePamphilis. Christopher Stengel and My Tree Boyz were represented by Lori S. Klinger of Kent/McBride PC.

What’s Next?

This appellate decision finalizes the jury’s award to Robinson and closes Dish Network’s path to a retrial. In affirming the jury’s allocation of fault and the damages awarded, the court sent a clear message about the importance of driver accountability.

“We are gratified that the appellate division affirmed the jury’s verdict in full,” said Robinson’s attorney Richard J. Albuquerque. “The court recognized that the evidence supported the jury’s careful allocation of fault and that the damages awarded were fair compensation for the serious and lasting injuries Ms. Robinson sustained.”

With the verdict upheld, Dish Network must now pay its portion of the damages and absorb the implications of the court’s finding that its driver’s negligence significantly contributed to the life-altering injuries of a young woman.