TEXARKANA, Ark. (AP) – A consolidated federal lawsuit stemming from a 2010 flood at Albert Pike Recreation Area that killed 20 people is now pending before a judge.
The Texarkana Gazette reports U.S. District Judge Susan Hickey will decide if the case will proceed or be dismissed.
The 11 lawsuits, which have been consolidated to one, allege that the government was aware of the risks of camping in Albert Pike when campers were trapped in the 2010 flood. The flood caused Little Missouri River’s water levels in the Ouchita National Forest to rise from 3 to 23 feet.
The U.S. government argues that the Arkansas Recreational Use Statute prohibits claims for damages unless actual malice or the desire to harm others is present. It motioned to dismiss the case in 2015.
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