BOZEMAN, Mont. – A widow from Alabama is pursuing legal action against a Montana hotel and several plumbers following the death of her husband due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Catharine Hudgens appeared in Gallatin County District Court on Monday, where a jury will determine whether the Rainbow Ranch Lodge and other entities are liable for the 2021 tragedy.
The lawsuit, alleging wrongful death and negligence, lists the Rainbow Ranch Lodge, along with several companies and contractors involved in the installation of a propane-fueled boiler, as defendants. Catharine Hudgens is seeking unspecified damages in the case.
On January 9, 2021, Catharine and Lewis Hudgens were married in Florida before embarking on their honeymoon in Big Sky, Montana. However, their marital bliss was short-lived, as Lewis Hudgens was found dead in his hotel room less than a week later at the age of 59.
According to the complaint, the hotel had recently purchased and installed a new water boiler for an outdoor hot tub located next to the couple’s honeymoon suite. The lawsuit alleges that holes drilled into the concrete wall separating the rooms allowed lethal levels of carbon monoxide to seep into the Hudgens’ room.
Furthermore, Catharine Hudgens claims that the hotel failed to properly ventilate the boiler room, citing the non-functional state of an exhaust fan. She also accuses the hotel of neglecting to monitor carbon monoxide levels, which could have alerted them to the dangerous gas emissions.
The lethal gas not only claimed Lewis Hudgens’ life but also left Catharine Hudgens severely ill and disoriented.
The complaint further asserts that despite Catharine Hudgens’ sister’s requests for a wellness check on the couple, no hotel employee ever visited their room. It wasn’t until January 15, when a general manager gained entry to the room, that Catharine was found in a disoriented state next to her deceased husband.
“Had Rainbow Ranch staff checked on the Hudgens as requested, it is likely Lew (Hudgens) would be alive and Catharine (Hudgens) would not have been injured,” the complaint states..
The tragic loss of Lewis Hudgens has left a void in the lives of those who knew and loved him. A compassionate man affectionately known as “Big Lew,” he passed away unexpectedly during his honeymoon in Big Sky, Montana, on January 14, 2021.