CJ-2026-1562 - Aleah Fuentes v. Charles Gunter

What's This Case About?

Let’s get one thing straight: this isn’t just another fender-bender lawsuit where someone rear-ends a minivan and calls it a day. No, this is the Oklahoma traffic signal version of a Rube Goldberg machine of negligence — a single car crash that somehow manages to implicate not only the guy behind the wheel, but also the city, a private contractor, and the electric company, all allegedly failing in their own special ways to keep a traffic light from turning a routine commute into a full-body trauma experience. And now, one woman is suing all of them, asking for over $75,000 in damages — because when your day goes from “driving to lunch” to “suddenly airborne,” you want answers. And maybe a new car.

Meet Aleah Fuentes, our plaintiff and designated victim of municipal mismanagement. She’s an Oklahoma County resident who, on June 26, 2024, was doing the most boring, lawful thing possible: driving south on S. Air Depot Boulevard in Midwest City, minding her business, obeying traffic laws, probably listening to a podcast about actual crime, not petty civil disputes like the one she was about to become the star of. It was around 3:15 p.m., the kind of unremarkable afternoon that should end with a nap or a 7-Eleven Slurpee, not a collision report. She approached the intersection at S.E. 29th Street — and, according to the official traffic report, had a green light. So she went. Totally normal. Totally legal. Totally not expecting to become the human pinball in a four-defendant blame game.

On the other side of the intersection was Charles Gunter, a man whose name will now forever be linked to this case, not because he’s a villain, but because he allegedly rolled through the intersection on a flashing red light — which, in case you skipped driver’s ed, means “stop completely, look both ways, and proceed only when safe.” Not “treat it like a suggestion.” According to the crash report, Gunter admitted he had that flashing red. And yet… he entered the intersection anyway. And bam — collided with Fuentes’s vehicle. The impact was bad enough to leave her with personal injuries serious enough to warrant not just medical attention, but a full-blown lawsuit with a legal dream team that reads like a law firm’s entire senior associate roster got assigned to one case.

But here’s where it gets juicy. Fuentes isn’t just suing Gunter — though sure, he’s definitely on the hook for not knowing what a red light means. She’s also dragging in the City of Midwest City, their traffic signal contractor Midstate Traffic Control, Inc., and Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company (OG&E). Yes, the electric company. Because, plot twist: the traffic signals at that intersection were allegedly malfunctioning at the time of the crash. Instead of the normal green-yellow-red cycle, one side was stuck on a flashing red. And not the kind of “oops, power flickered” flash — more like a sustained, dangerous, “why is this still like this?” kind of malfunction.

Now, you’d think if a traffic light’s broken at a busy intersection, someone would notice. Right? Well, according to the petition, the city and Midstate — the company they hired to maintain traffic signals — knew or should have known the lights were messed up before the crash. They had a duty, under both state law and the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (yes, that’s a real thing), to fix it or at least put up temporary measures like cones, signs, or a traffic cop with a whistle. But no. They allegedly did nothing. Left it broken. Let cars keep rolling through like it was fine. Which, in legal terms, is called “negligence.” In real human terms? It’s called “what the actual heck.”

And then there’s OG&E. Why is an electric company in a car accident lawsuit? Because, according to Fuentes’s lawyers, they were doing electrical work near the intersection that day — and there’s reason to believe their work caused the signal to malfunction. So now we’ve got a theory that OG&E messed with the power, the signal went haywire, the city and its contractor failed to respond, and Gunter treated a flashing red like a game of chicken he thought he’d win. And Fuentes? She just wanted to get to the other side of the street.

So what’s she actually suing for? Over $75,000 in personal injury damages — which, in Oklahoma, is the magic number that moves a case from small claims to full-on civil litigation. Is $75,000 a lot? Well, if you’re talking about a scratched bumper, no. But if you’re talking about medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, therapy, car repairs, and the emotional toll of being T-boned because a traffic light was on the fritz and nobody cared? Yeah, that adds up fast. And she’s not asking for punitive damages — no desire to bankrupt anyone out of spite — just compensation. Plus court costs, interest, and a jury trial, because she wants a group of regular people to look at this mess and say, “Yep, this was someone’s fault. Probably more than one someone.”

Now, let’s break down the claims, because there’s a whole buffet of negligence on display here. First, Charles Gunter: he’s being sued for negligence and “negligence per se,” which is legalese for “he broke a traffic law, and that law exists to prevent exactly this kind of crash.” Running a flashing red? That’s on him. No excuses.

Then we’ve got the City of Midwest City, which owns the traffic signals. Under Oklahoma’s Government Tort Claims Act, cities are usually immune from lawsuits — unless, as the filing points out, they knew about a dangerous condition and didn’t fix it in a reasonable time. That’s the loophole Fuentes is betting on. She’s saying the city had notice (or should’ve had it) and did nothing. And that failure, combined with the crash, means they lose their immunity. Boom — lawsuit proceeds.

Midstate Traffic Control, Inc. is in the same boat — they had a contract to maintain these signals. So if they were supposed to be the ones checking and fixing malfunctions, and they didn’t, that’s a solid negligence claim. It’s like hiring a babysitter and coming home to find the kid climbing the bookshelf while the sitter scrolls TikTok.

And then there’s OG&E, the wildcard. They’re not responsible for traffic lights, but if their electrical work caused the malfunction, and they didn’t coordinate with the city or warn anyone, they could be on the hook for creating a foreseeable danger. It’s like if a construction crew cuts a water line and floods a neighborhood — doesn’t matter if they didn’t install the pipes; they messed with the system and didn’t plan for the consequences.

So what’s our take? Honestly, the most absurd part isn’t that one crash led to four defendants. It’s that this probably wasn’t even the first time this intersection had issues. Malfunctioning traffic lights don’t just happen in a vacuum. They’re symptoms of bigger problems — understaffed maintenance crews, poor communication between city departments and contractors, electric companies doing work without proper coordination. And yet, here we are, relying on someone getting T-boned to expose the whole rickety system.

We’re rooting for Fuentes, not because we want to see cities and utility companies pay, but because someone has to be the canary in the coal mine. If this case forces Midwest City to audit its traffic signals, or makes OG&E call ahead before flipping switches near intersections, or reminds drivers that a flashing red means stop, then maybe this whole mess was worth it. Because the real crime here isn’t just the crash — it’s how many near-misses probably happened before anyone filed a lawsuit.

And hey, if along the way we get a courtroom drama where lawyers argue over who’s more responsible for a broken traffic light — the guy who ran it, the city that ignored it, the contractor that didn’t fix it, or the electric company that maybe broke it — well, we’ll be listening. With popcorn. And a green light.

Case Overview

$75,000 Demand Jury Trial Petition

Jurisdiction

District Court, Oklahoma

Filing Attorney

Noble McIntyre

McINTYRE LAW, PC

Relief Sought

$75,000 Monetary

Plaintiffs

Aleah Fuentes individual
Rep: Noble McIntyre, Jeremy Thurman, Jordan Klingler, Monica Schweighart, Brenda O'Dell, Sarah Ramsey, Daniel Zonas, Payson Ramirez

Defendants

Charles Gunter individual
City of Midwest City government
Midstate Traffic Control, Inc. business
Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company business

Claims

#	Cause of Action	Description
1	negligence	collision at intersection of S.E. 29th Street and S. Air Depot Boulevard

Petition Text

1,299 words

THE DISTRICT COURT OF OKLAHOMA COUNTY STATE OF OKLAHOMA FILED DISTRICT COURT OKLAHOMA COUNTY, OKLAHOMA March 3, 2026 9:09 AM RICK WARREN, COURT CLERK Case No.: Case Number CJ-2026-1562 ALEAH FUENTES, an Individual, ) ) ) Plaintiff; v. ) ) CHARLES GUNTER, an Individual, CITY OF MIDWEST CITY, a Municipality and Political Subdivision, MIDSTATE TRAFFIC CONTROL, INC., a Domestic For-Profit Business Corporation, and OKLAHOMA GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY, a Domestic For-Profit Business Corporation, Defendants. PETITION 1. This is an action by Plaintiff Aleah Fuentes to recover personal injury damages because of the negligence of Defendants Charles Gunter, City of Midwest City, Midstate Traffic Control, Inc., and Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company regarding a motor vehicle collision that occurred on June 26, 2024, at the intersection of S.E. 29th Street and S. Air Depot Boulevard in Midwest City, Oklahoma. 2. Plaintiff is a resident of Oklahoma County, State of Oklahoma. 3. Defendant Charles Gunter ("Gunter") is a resident of Oklahoma County, Oklahoma. 4. Defendant City of Midwest City ("Midwest City") is a municipality and political subdivision under 51 O.S. § 152. 5. Defendant Midstate Traffic Control, Inc. ("Midstate") is a domestic, for-profit business corporation, incorporated in the state of Oklahoma and can be served with process through its registered agent, Steve Wells, at 12501 N. Santa Fe Avenue, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 73114. 6. Upon information and belief, Defendant Midstate contracted with Defendant Midwest City to provide traffic signal maintenance and repair services for traffic signals located within Midwest City, Oklahoma. 7. Defendant Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company ("OG&E") is a domestic, for-profit business corporation, incorporated in the State of Oklahoma and can be served with process through its registered agent, William H. Sultemeier, at 321 N. Harvey Avenue, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102. 8. The collision giving rise to this action occurred in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma. 9. Jurisdiction and Venue are proper in Oklahoma County. 10. Pursuant to the Government Tort Claims Act, 51 O.S. §151, et seq., a Notice of Claim was served on and received by the City Clerk of the City of Midwest City on behalf of Plaintiff on June 10, 2025. Plaintiff’s claim was denied as a matter of law on September 8, 2025. This suit is being filed within 180 days of said denial. 11. On June 26, 2024, at approximately 3:15 p.m., Plaintiff Aleah Fuentes was driving a motor vehicle southbound on S. Air Depot Boulevard approaching the intersection with S.E. 29th Street in Midwest City, Oklahoma. 12. At the same time, Defendant Gunter was operating a motor vehicle that was traveling westbound on S.E. 29th Street approaching the same intersection. 13. As Plaintiff proceeded through the intersection on a green light, Defendant Gunter entered the intersection and collided with Plaintiff’s vehicle. 14. According to the Official Oklahoma Traffic Collision Report, Defendant Gunter admitted he had a flashing red light when he entered the intersection. 15. Upon information and belief, the traffic control signals at the intersection of S.E. 29th Street and S. Air Depot Boulevard were malfunctioning at the time of the collision on June 26, 2024, creating a dangerous condition for drivers. 16. Upon information and belief, Defendant OG&E was performing electrical work in the vicinity of the intersection on the day of the collision. 17. Upon information and belief, Defendants Midwest City and Midstate had actual and/or constructive notice that the traffic signals at the intersection were not functioning properly on June 26, 2024, prior to the time of the subject collision. 18. Upon information and belief, neither Defendant Midwest City nor Defendant Midstate took action to correct the malfunction or deploy interim safety measures before the collision occurred. 19. At all relevant times, Plaintiff Aleah Fuentes was operating her vehicle in a lawful and reasonable manner. 20. Defendant Gunter was required by law to act as a reasonably careful driver when driving on Oklahoma roadways. 21. Defendant Gunter was negligent in failing to yield the right-of-way to Plaintiff on June 26, 2024. 22. Defendant Gunter violated Oklahoma Traffic laws requiring drivers to stop at flashing red signal and yield the right-of-way, constituting negligence per se. 23. Defendant Gunter’s actions and inactions in the crash were not what a reasonably careful person would have done under similar circumstances. 24. Defendant City of Midwest City owned, operated, controlled, and/or was responsible for maintaining the traffic signals at the intersection where the collision occurred on June 26, 2024. 25. Defendant Midwest City had a duty to maintain traffic signals, correct known malfunctions, and implement temporary traffic control measures in accordance with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and Oklahoma law. 26. Defendant Midwest City was negligent in failing to correct the signal malfunction or deploy interim safety measures within a reasonable time after receiving notice. 27. Defendant Midwest City knew or should have known the malfunctioning traffic signals created a dangerous hazard to drivers and should have taken reasonable steps to correct or warn drivers of said hazard without undue delay. Instead, Defendant Midwest City chose to allow a dangerous condition to exist, unmitigated, at a heavy traffic intersection. 28. Defendant Midwest City’s conduct was negligent on June 26, 2024. 29. Defendant Midwest City’s actions or inactions caused personal injuries to Plaintiff Aleah Fuentes. 30. Oklahoma Statutes Title 51, Section 155(15) removes immunity when a malfunction is not corrected within a reasonable time after notice. 31. Upon information and belief, Defendant Midstate contracted with Defendant Midwest City to provide traffic signal maintenance and repair services. 32. Defendant Midstate had actual and/or constructive notice that the traffic signals at the intersection of S. Air Depot Boulevard and S.E. 29th Street were not functioning properly on June 26, 2024, prior to the time of the collision. 33. Defendant Midstate was negligent in failing to respond without undue delay and failing to deploy interim safety measures. 34. Defendant Midstate knew or should have known the malfunctioning traffic signals created a dangerous hazard to drivers and should have taken reasonable steps to correct or warn drivers of said hazard without undue delay. Instead, Defendant Midstate chose to allow a dangerous condition to exist, unmitigated, at a heavy traffic intersection. 35. Defendant Midstate’s conduct was negligent on June 26, 2024. 36. Defendant Midstate’s actions or inactions caused personal injuries to Plaintiff Aleah Fuentes. 37. Upon information and belief, Defendant OG&E was performing electrical work in the vicinity of S.E. 29th Street and S. Air Depot Boulevard on June 26, 2024. 38. There is reason to believe Defendant OG&E’s electrical work caused or contributed to the traffic signal malfunction. 39. Defendant OG&E knew or should have known that its electrical work could interrupt, disable or cause abnormal operation of the traffic signals at the intersection of S.E. 29th and S. Air Depot Boulevard, creating a dangerous condition for the traveling public. 40. Defendant OG&E was negligent in failing to properly plan, coordinate, warn, and/or implement appropriate temporary traffic control/safety measures to ensure the traffic control signals remained reasonably safe and reliable for motorists. 41. Defendant OG&E’s conduct was negligent on June 26, 2024. 42. Defendant OG&E’s actions or inactions caused personal injuries to Plaintiff Aleah Fuentes. 43. As a direct and proximate cause of Defendants’ negligence, Plaintiff sustained personal injuries. 44. Plaintiff Aleah Fuentes is claiming personal injury damages against all defendants; pre-judgment and post-judgment interest; costs of court; and for all other relief to which she may be entitled. 45. Plaintiff is required by law to state in this Petition whether she is seeking damages more than seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000.00) for the damages she suffered. 46. At this time, Plaintiff is seeking an amount more than seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000.00) for the personal injuries she suffered. WHEREFORE, Plaintiff Aleah Fuentes requests that she be granted judgment against Defendants either individually or in combination with each other pursuant to what a jury or Court would determine each party’s responsibilities are. Respectfully submitted, [Signature] Noble McIntyre, OBA # 16359 Jeremy Thurman, OBA # 19586 Jordan Klingler, OBA # 31233 Monica Schweighart, OBA # 32815 Brenda O’Dell, OBA # 35189 Sarah Ramsey, OBA # 35716 Daniel Zonas, OBA #36317 Payson Ramirez, OBA #36767 McINTYRE LAW, PC 8601 S. Western Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73139 Telephone: (405) 917-5250 Facsimile: (405) 917-5405 [email protected] [email protected]