Ex-fire marshall faces death lawsuit

GREAT FALLS  — The former Great Falls fire marshal is being sued by the family of a man who suffered fatal injuries when he fell out of a rolling chair in September 2012.

The Great Falls Tribune reports Chris Jones’ lawsuit alleges Doug Bennyhoff exhibited negligence and caused the death of his father, Orville Jones. Orville Jones died Sept. 21, 2012 of brain injuries suffered six days earlier when he fell face-first onto the sidewalk as Bennyhoff was wheeling an intoxicated Jones home in a bar chair.

Chris Jones alleges Bennyhoff minimized Orville Jones’ injuries when he called 911 and did not say how they occurred.

Bennyhoff acknowledges that he did not tell medical responders that Oliver fell from a chair, but he denies knowing that Oliver hit the sidewalk head-first.