Tom Hanks Fights To Keep Son Chet’s Drug Shame Out Of Car Crash Horror Suit
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson are fighting to keep information about their recovering addict son, Chet, and his history of alcohol and drug use out of court, according to documents recently filed by the famous couple and exclusively obtained by RadarOnline.com in connection to a 2015 fender bender suit.
The Hanks family filed a motion on Sept. 12, 2018 asking the court to prevent testimony in court concerning Chet’s former issues with sobriety, arguing the 28-year old’s drug and alcohol use is irrelevant to the case.
Terry Moogan, the Los Angeles man who is suing the Hanks family, claimed he was driving on Highway 110 at about 2 p.m. on Feb. 13, 2015 when the Mercees E320 that he was driving was hit from behind by a car driven by Chet. Moogan claims Chet was under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol at the time of the incident.
Moogan also sued Tom and Rita because they “negligently permitted” Chet to drive the vehicle that they owned. Moogan added the famous couple knows Chet is a “careless and reckless driver and a habitual user of drugs and alcohol."
According to the Hanks’ attorney, Steven M. Maslauski, Chet has already admitted he was negligent in rear-ending Moogan’s vehicle, “albeit at a very low speed."
“C.Hanks has admitted liability for this incident, contesting only the nature and extent of the claimed damages,” Maslauski wrote in the Sept. 12, 2018 affidavit. “Other defendants, both as individuals and trustees of the Hanks Family Trust, have admitted liability for negligent entrustment in order to avoid unnecessary and harassing depositions. Tom and Rita Wilson Hanks, both as individuals and trustees of the Hanks Family Trust, owned the Chevrolet Volt C.Hanks was driving. Plaintiff’s counsel based upon questions posed to C.Hanks at deposition, will attempt to introduce at trial evidence of C.Hanks’ past history of drug and alcohol use and attempts at rehabilitation. If deposed, plaintiff’s counsel would question the other defendants concerning C. Hank’s drug and alcohol use in distant past. All defendants contend that this evidence is inadmissible on the grounds of relevancy and Evidence Code section 352.”
Maslauski added that bringing up Chet's past drug and alcohol use has "no probative value" and would only be used to “embarrass” and “harass” the Hanks family, “or create some type of emotional bias” against the family in front a jury.
Meanwhile, Moogan also added more defendants into the case, including attorney Howard Altman and the firm of Grant, Tani, Parish & Altman. According to court documents filed by Moogan on Feb. 22, 2018, he believes Altman and his firm could be “potentially involved” in the ownership of the vehicle that Chet was driving.
Moogan, who filed the complaint on March 25, 2016, is suing the Hanks family and others for negligence, negligent entrustment of a motor vehicle and negligent entrustment of a motor vehicle to an unfit driver. Moogan claims he suffered “severe physical and emotional injuries” from the incident.
After years of addiction, Chet now claims to have more than two years sober.
The case is scheduled for a status conference on Oct. 10, 2018 and a jury trial on Oct. 30, 2018 at Los Angeles Superior Court.
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