CEO Of $600 Million Startup Nextdoor Allegedly Injured A Woman In A Car Crash And Drove Away
"Due to Mr. Tolia's unsafe operation of his vehicle, Ms. Motley was forced to engage in defensive driving maneuvers to avoid a collision on the highway," the lawsuit, obtained by Valleywag, alleges. "Ms. Motley lost control of her car, spun 180 degrees, crossed two lanes of highway traffic, hit the cement median, and came to rest partially in the fast lane of traffic and partially on the shoulder with cars speeding directly at her."
Motley alleges she fractured her wrists and did some damage to her neck and back.
Nextdoor, a social network for neighborhoods, has received $100 million in investment funding. It made headlines in October when it announced an investment round of $60 million even though it had no revenue and nor profits. The New York Times said, "that is bound to set off questions about whether venture capitalists are inflating another technology bubble by throwing money at unprofitable start-ups." However, the company is valued at $600 million, according to Fortune, and it cash burn-rate is small.
Everyone has accidentally done what Tolia did and not noticed a car in the side lane. But Tolia's alleged legal error was driving off without checking to see whether Motley was OK. He did not call 9/11 or pull over, Motley says. When a cop knocked on his door afterwards, Tolia allegedly admitted that he saw the accident and fled anyway because he was in "shock," the lawsuit says.
From the lawsuit:
Superior Court of California
Nextdoor has not responded to a request for comment.
For more, head over to Valleywag where the entire complaint has been posted.