The estate of a Lake County jewelry store owner killed in a December 2025 gas explosion has filed a wrongful death lawsuit, alleging negligence led to her death, against a gas company and four other companies.
The representative of the estate of Wendy Davis filed the complaint on Thursday in Orange County Circuit Court.
The lawsuit names Peoples Gas, fiber-optic provider Wire 3 LLC, design firm Alson Services, underground installer FiberPro Network Services LLC and contractor Mendoza Conduit Installers LLC as defendants.
Davis owned and operated Darklyn Inc., a jewelry, rocks, and gemstones shop at 101 S. Eustis St. in downtown Eustis. She also lived in the building, according to the lawsuit.
According to the complaint, a worker for Mendoza struck a natural gas line Dec. 4, 2025, while operating a horizontal directional drill owned by FiberPro near Davis’ building. The lawsuit alleges the drill operator, identified as 23-year-old Jefrin Oseguera, was unlicensed to perform underground utility and excavation work.
The complaint states that after the gas leak was discovered, Davis was asked to move her vehicle — then was permitted to re-enter her building, which the lawsuit says was filling with natural gas. Peoples Gas “squeezed off the natural gas line” at approximately 10:48 a.m.
Nine minutes later, the building exploded.
Davis survived the initial blast, exiting under her own power with severe burns. She was airlifted to a hospital and admitted to the burn unit. She died Dec. 6, 2025.
The lawsuit alleges Peoples Gas failed to properly mark its underground gas line before drilling began, failed to evacuate Davis before shutting off the gas line, and failed to test for natural gas inside her building. The suit also claims FiberPro, Alson Services, Wire 3 and Mendoza hired unlicensed workers, failed to hold required pre-excavation meetings with Peoples Gas and failed to warn people in the area after the gas line was breached.
The lawsuit seeks damages exceeding $50,000 and a jury trial.
The full lawsuit can be read in the media player below.