Driver Sues Pittsburgh Over Sinkhole Damage

A Texas truck driver alleges a dangerous road condition in Pittsburgh caused her injuries after a sinkhole swallowed part of her truck.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Utilities

Flat-color editorial illustration of a single stone civic building facade under a grey sky, evoking municipal responsibility. — A Texas truck driver is suing the city of Pittsburgh and its water authority, alleging a sinkhole that opened at a downtown intersection in December 2024 caused her injuries. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

In December 2024, a sinkhole opened at the intersection of N. Evaline St. and Dearborn St. in Pittsburgh, collapsing the road beneath the front driver-side tire of Texas truck driver Isis Bey Boyd's truck. Boyd has filed suit against the city and the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority in Allegheny County common pleas court.

Why it matters

The case centers on whether a water main break and related utility work at the intersection created a dangerous and defective condition for drivers. It also raises questions about municipal liability in Pennsylvania, where damages against local agencies are capped at $500,000.

Boyd's lawsuit is filed under Pennsylvania law, which caps damages against local agencies at $500,000, while the case's claims remain untested in court. Whether the city's identification of a water main break as the cause will hold up under legal scrutiny is still unresolved.

The players

Isis Bey Boyd

A Texas-based truck driver whose vehicle was damaged when a sinkhole opened beneath it in Pittsburgh, and who is now suing the city and the water authority.

Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority

The Pittsburgh utility agency responsible for water and sewer infrastructure, which performed work at the intersection before the sinkhole and was later named in the lawsuit.

The details

Boyd alleges she sustained arm tingling, back spasms, headache, sleep disturbance, and pain in the spine, back, shoulder, elbow, hip, and wrist. The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority performed work at the intersection days before the sinkhole opened, and afterward shut off the nearby water supply and repaired pipes beneath the road.

December 2024: A sinkhole opened under Boyd's truck at N. Evaline St. and Dearborn St. in Pittsburgh.
Days before the sinkhole: PWSA performed work at the intersection.
After the incident: PWSA shut off the water supply and repaired pipes beneath the road.
Recently: Boyd filed suit in Allegheny County common pleas court.

Utilities

Pennsylvania's $500,000 cap on damages against local agencies sets the ceiling on what a claimant like Boyd can recover from the city or the water authority, shaping how aggressively water infrastructure failures are litigated. The case shows how aging water mains beneath city streets can translate into personal injury claims under that statutory limit.

Drivers on Pittsburgh streets near aging water infrastructure may face similar road collapses, and the lawsuit's outcome could shape how the city and PWSA handle maintenance around busy intersections. Residents near N. Evaline St. and Dearborn St. should expect continued pipe repair and related road work.

The takeaway

Utility work beneath city streets carries liability risks that can reach drivers long after repairs are made. Motorists should report unusual road cracks or depressions to local authorities promptly.