For Immediate Release July 14, 2025:
The family of Cheryl Rawls, a 76-year-old grandmother and lifelong Macon resident, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit following her tragic death at the Tucker-Forsyth Road railroad crossing, an intersection long criticized by residents and experts as a public safety hazard.
The suit, filed in Bibb County State Court, names Norfolk Southern Corporation, the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), and Macon-Bibb County officials as defendants. It alleges negligence in the design, maintenance, and operation of the crossing.
On November 15, 2024, Cheryl Rawls was driving her GMC Acadia when she lawfully entered the crossing on a green light. Without warning, the crossing gate descended onto her vehicle, trapping her on the tracks. As she struggled to escape, a Norfolk Southern freight train traveling at 41 mph struck her vehicle, throwing it into the embankment.
“This was not a tragic accident, it was a predictable failure of infrastructure and oversight… a failure of responsibility,” said Katherine McArthur, founder of McArthur Law Firm and lead attorney for the Rawls family. “Cheryl was a wife, a mother, a neighbor. She did everything right. The system failed her. Our lawsuit seeks justice for Cheryl and accountability from those who failed to act.” McArthur Law Firm is no stranger to complex claims, having secured several high-profile wrongful death verdicts in 2025 alone.
The Rawls Lawsuit Outlines a Series of Systemic Failures:
- Defective traffic signal timing that did not allow vehicles enough time to clear the tracks.
- Faded or missing road markings, including a stop bar that was nearly invisible.
- Inadequate coordination between railroad signals and traffic lights.
- Failure to slow or stop the train, despite the operators having a clear view of Rawls’ visibly trapped vehicle on the tracks.
An affidavit from nationally recognized traffic engineering expert Herman A. Hill, P.E., P.T.O.E., who reviewed the site, video footage, and design documents, supports these claims:
“The design and operation of the Tucker Road railroad crossing failed to meet even the most basic engineering and safety standards,” said Hill. “The timing of the traffic signals, the worn-out pavement markings, and the lack of adequate warning systems created a perfect storm of danger. This tragedy was foreseeable—and entirely preventable.”
The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages for wrongful death, personal injuries, pain, and suffering. It also demands systemic changes to prevent future tragedies.
“This case is about more than one life lost,” said McArthur. “It’s about a community’s right to safe infrastructure and the duty of public and private entities to protect that right.”
Correction to Previous Media Reports
Previous media coverage incorrectly stated that the Tucker-Forsyth crossing has since been closed to traffic. Immediately after taking the case, McArthur contacted the Bibb County Mayor to request the permanent closure of the deadly crossing. The Tucker Road railroad crossing, which failed to meet basic engineering and safety standards, was closed for less than a month. Bibb County then changed a stop sign and re-opened the crossing without further safety improvements.
The Rawls family and their legal team emphasize that the closure came too late for Cheryl. Accountability is still due.
Call to Action: Help Us Prevent Another Tragedy
If you or someone you know has witnessed this event or experienced a similar incident at the Tucker-Forsyth crossing where the arms have come down on your vehicle at this crossing without warning, a near miss, or close call, please come forward.
Your story could help prevent another avoidable tragedy.
Please contact the McArthur Law Firm at (478) 238-6600 or email lawyers@mcarthurlawfirm.com.
Media Contact:
McArthur Law Firm Trial Lawyers
Attn: Trizna Banos
McArthur Law Firm
(478) 238-6600
lawyers@mcarthurlawfirm.com
www.mcarthurlawfirm.com
