Mario Alberto Moreno v. Sherita Laquita Gordon

Let’s cut straight to the chaos: on April 21, 2025, a woman allegedly tried to pass a car at a red light on U.S. Route 66 in Oklahoma City—yes, at a red light—and instead of just failing spectacularly at driving, she managed to slam into the back left of the vehicle, injure three people, and now owes nearly $78,000 in damages. This isn’t Fast & Furious. This is Route 66. And unless Sherita Laquita Gordon has a secret need for speed or a death wish disguised as lane etiquette, we are dying to know what was going through her head.

The players in this tragicomedy of errors are, on one side, Mario Alberto Moreno, Miriam Lomeli, and Mario’s daughter, Yolene Moreno, who was presumably in the back seat doing what kids do—probably not expecting to become the subject of a personal injury lawsuit before lunch. Mario was behind the wheel, lawfully stopped at a red light like a responsible adult who understands traffic signals. On the other side is Sherita Laquita Gordon, allegedly barreling down U.S. Route 66 in Yukon with a complete disregard for the concept of “stopping when the light says stop.” According to the filing, she wasn’t just tailgating or texting—she actively tried to pass Mario’s car while he was stopped, which is like trying to overtake someone in a queue at the DMV by sprinting through the “employees only” door. It’s not just rude. It’s physics-defying.

So what happened? Picture this: a normal Tuesday morning on one of Oklahoma City’s busiest stretches of highway. Cars are lined up. Brake lights are glowing. The universe is, for once, operating under basic traffic laws. Then, out of nowhere—Sherita Gordon, allegedly attempting to enter a turning lane while going fast enough to make the maneuver possible, which means she was not slowing down. Instead of waiting her turn like the rest of us peasants, she apparently decided the rules of momentum and civil society didn’t apply. She veered toward the turning lane, misjudged everything (including distance, speed, and the very concept of “another vehicle exists”), and slammed into the back left of Mario’s car. The impact wasn’t a fender-bender. It was a full-on collision that left three people injured—Mario, Miriam, and little Yolene, who is represented in this suit by her father as her “next friend,” which is the legal term for “I’m suing because my kid got hurt and I’m pissed.”

Now, let’s talk about why we’re here. Legally speaking, the plaintiffs aren’t accusing Gordon of murder, conspiracy, or reckless endangerment (though honestly, it’s borderline). No, this is a classic two-act civil drama: negligence, Part I and Part II. The first claim is for personal injuries—because, surprise, getting T-boned or rear-ended at high speed tends to do a number on the human body. The filing lists a whole buffet of suffering: past and future pain, mental anguish (we’d be stressed too), medical bills, lost wages, reduced earning capacity (if someone can’t work the same job anymore), permanent disability, disfigurement, and—our personal favorite—loss of quality and enjoyment of life. That last one is the legal way of saying, “I used to like going to barbecues, but now I wince when I sit down, and nothing tastes good anymore.” The emotional toll of a crash like this isn’t just real—it’s expensive. And the plaintiffs are saying it’s worth more than $75,000. That’s not chump change. That’s a down payment on a house, a luxury car, or, if you’re us, 15,600 chicken fried steaks at a diner in Elk City.

Then comes Claim Number Two: the cold, hard reality of property damage. Because not only did Gordon allegedly ruin lives, she also ruined a car. The plaintiffs are seeking $3,227.68 in vehicle repairs. Let that sink in. They’re suing for pennies. Not metaphorically—literally. $3,227.68. That’s not rounded up. That’s not “about three grand.” That’s the exact cost of fixing whatever metal, plastic, and wiring got crumpled in the impact. It’s so precise it feels like someone handed the lawyer a repair estimate and said, “Put this in the petition. Every. Single. Cent.” And bless them, they did. It’s the kind of detail that makes you wonder: did the mechanic charge $0.68 for a screw? Was there tax on the bumper? Or is this just the universe reminding us that in civil court, every decimal matters.

The plaintiffs are represented by Mark W. Albert—OBA #12575, for those keeping score at home—who runs a solo shop out of Elk City and has decided this case deserves a jury trial. That means this isn’t just about money. It’s about accountability. It’s about standing in front of 12 of your peers and saying, “This woman hit me while I was stopped at a red light. I want you to decide if that was okay.” Spoiler: it wasn’t. And they’re also asking for court costs, interest, and attorney’s fees—because if you’re going to drag someone to court, you might as well make it hurt.

Now, here’s the million-dollar question: is $78,000 a lot for this? In the grand scheme of personal injury lawsuits, it’s not crazy high. No one’s asking for millions. No claims of paralysis or lifelong care. But for a crash on a highway that likely lasted less than three seconds? For injuries that, while serious, aren’t described as life-threatening? It’s on the higher end of “significant but not catastrophic.” But here’s the thing—medical bills in America are a horror show. One ER visit can cost $10,000. Physical therapy adds up. Lost wages? If you’re hourly and out for weeks, that’s real pain. And then there’s the intangible stuff: the anxiety of getting back in a car, the nightmares, the way your kid flinches at the sound of brakes. That’s worth something. Maybe not $75,000. Maybe more. But someone has to pay. And legally, if you cause a crash, that someone is you.

Our take? The most absurd part isn’t even the lawsuit. It’s the idea that someone thought passing a car at a red light was a viable driving strategy. Were they late for a meeting? Did they think the light would turn just in time? Did they not see the car? Were they texting, eating, applying mascara? We may never know. But what we do know is this: you don’t pass cars at red lights. You just don’t. It’s not a racing line. It’s not a shortcut. It’s a red light. The universal symbol for “stop, you fool.” And yet, here we are, three injured people, a mangled vehicle, and a bill that could’ve been avoided with two seconds of patience.

We’re not rooting for blood. We’re not even rooting for bankruptcy. But we are rooting for common sense. And maybe, just maybe, for Sherita Laquita Gordon to take a defensive driving course—preferably one that includes a mandatory rewatch of Driver’s Ed 101: Red Means Stop. Because if this case teaches us anything, it’s that a moment of poor judgment on Route 66 can cost you more than just a traffic ticket. It can cost you thirty-two hundred dollars and sixty-eight cents… plus interest.