BOISE, Idaho — An Emmett man has filed a lawsuit against the City of Boise, alleging the city failed to fix known hazards on the Boise River Greenbelt that led to his wife’s fatal bicycle crash in 2024.
Court records show David Simpson filed the complaint on Feb. 27 in Ada County, seeking damages of at least $10,000 related to the death of his wife, Donna Simpson.
According to the lawsuit, Donna was riding a Class 2 electric bicycle on Aug. 22, 2024, along the Greenbelt near Lake Harbor Lane, between mile markers NW 4.1 and NW 4.3. The complaint alleges her front wheel struck a “large, raised section of asphalt” that had been pushed up by a tree root beneath the path. She was thrown over the handlebars and hit her head on the pavement.
She was taken by ambulance to Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, where she later died from complications related to traumatic head injuries, the lawsuit states.
READ MORE | Emmett man files tort claim against the city of Boise over the cause of his wife's death
The complaint alleges the City of Boise, which owns and maintains the Greenbelt, had prior knowledge of hazards along that section of the path. It cites a 2022 condition survey that gave the area a low rating and identified multiple raised sections of pavement.
Simpson claims the city failed to repair the hazard or provide adequate warning to riders, calling the conditions dangerous and foreseeable.
The lawsuit includes a wrongful death claim and seeks compensation for medical and funeral expenses, as well as loss of companionship and support. Simpson had previously filed a tort claim against the city in early 2025.
Boise city officials declined to comment, citing ongoing litigation.
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