An Oklahoma jury ruled that the March 24, 2001 death of H.K. Covel -- father of country music singer 'Toby Keith' Covel -- was due to negligence and awarded Keith and his family $2.8 million in damages.

According to a December 25, 2007 Associated Press dispatch, the operators of the bus that killed Covel were aware prior to the accident that the bus's brakes required repair.  "The jury found no fault on the part of Mr. Covel in the wreck that claimed his life," the family's attorney told the newswire.

Although the bus did not precipitate the accident, the bus hitting Mr. Covel's car did result in his death, the AP said.  Toby Keith's family argued successfully that if the bus had been equipped with properly working air brakes it could have prevented the fatality.

Among his many recogitions, Keith was named the Top Male vocalist in 2003 and won Album of the Year honors from the Academy of Country Music in 2000 for How Do You Like Me Now.