Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ared-4_23-cv-00828/USCOURTS-ared-4_23-cv-00828-3/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 890
Nature of Suit: Other Statutory Actions
Cause of Action: 28:1335 Interpleader Action

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IN THE UNITED ST ATES DISTRICT COURT 

EASTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS 

CENTRAL DIVISION 

U-HAUL CO. OF ARKANSAS 

v. No. 4:23-cv-828-DPM 

WILLIAM HYATT; CAMERON MUTUAL 

INSURANCE COMP ANY; SANTOSHI 

KRUPA, LLC; TERRENCE MICHAEL 

COLLINS; JOHN MICHAEL BYRD; 

RICHARD ALLEN; CHRISTOPHER 

SHAHAN; JESSE HENDERSON; 

NATHANIEL MARTIN; FRANK LOUIS 

JOHNSON; BRYAN SMITH; DONNA 

BYBEE; BRYAN MCCLELLAN; and 

JOHN DOES NOS. 1-20 

ORDER 

PLAINTIFF 

DEFENDANTS 

William Hyatt didn't want to get stuck in traffic. So, he tried to 

make a U-turn in his rented U-Haul truck. This was a bad idea. Hyatt 

drove through a metal fence, which he dragged into several boats and 

trailers, causing damage. He then drove through two storage unit 

buildings at Santoshi's Sherwood Storage Solutions and another fence 

before finally stopping. 

U-Haul of Arkansas provided Hyatt with $25,000.00 in insurance 

coverage for property damage. The policy was self-insured. U-Haul 

seeks to interplead the proceeds (less attorney's fees and costs) 

because it is facing competing claims to the money. Cameron Mutual 

Case 4:23-cv-00828-DPM Document 49 Filed 01/02/25 Page 1 of 3
Insurance Company and Bryant McClellan don't object to 

interpleader. Doc. 3 at 4 & Doc. 4 at 3. None of the defendants 

responded to U-Haul's motion. 

The requirements for statutory interpleader are met. 28 U.S.C. 

§ 1335. Cameron Mutual Insurance Company, a citizen of Missouri, 

and Bryan McClellan, a citizen of Arkansas, claim the policy proceeds, 

which exceed $500. U-Haul is a disinterested stakeholder faced with 

competing claims. And the Court has personal jurisdiction over the 

parties. 

U-Haul 1s entitled to a reasonable attorney's fee and costs. 

Federated Mutual Insurance Co. v. Moody Station & Grocery, 821 F.3d 973, 

979 (8th Cir. 2016). The amount, though, must be modest. Ibid. Given 

counsel's experience, and the nature of the issues presented in this 

case, the Court approves an hourly rate of $250.00. The Court 

approves an hourly rate of $100 for paralegals, too. The lodestar is 

$8,855.00-those rates multiplied by the combined 40.1 hours 

requested. Hensley v. Eckerhart, 461 U.S. 424,433 (1983). The filing fee 

and costs of serving the many defendants in this case are also 

reasonable. 

Some reductions are warranted. The Court commends 

U-Haul's counsel for preemptively reducing his number of hours in 

the request for fees. The Court recognizes that serving all the 

defendants, particularly Hyatt, was unusually difficult. 

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Case 4:23-cv-00828-DPM Document 49 Filed 01/02/25 Page 2 of 3
Still, 32.3 hours to prepare and serve the complaint is too much. And 

the total amount of fees and expenses incurred-$10,492.00-is almost 

forty-two percent of the funds available. All material things 

considered, the Court approves a total award of $2,500.00 in attorney's 

fees and $1,637.00 in" expenses. This is the modest fee contemplated 

by precedent. E.g, Federated Mutual Insurance Co., 821 F.3d at 979; 

Hunter v. Federal Life Insurance Co., 111 F.2d 551,557 (8th Cir. 1940). 

* 

U-Haul's motion, Doc. 47, is granted as modified. The Court 

directs the Clerk to accept $22,863.00 from U-Haul, which is the 

, $25,000.00 in insurance proceeds, less the awarded fees and expenses, 

which U0Haul may pay its lawyers. The Court directs the Clerk to 

deposit the insurance proceeds in an interest-bearing account. The 

Court will dismiss U-Haul after the funds are deposited. 

So Ordered. 

D.P. Marshall Jr. 

United States District Judge 

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Case 4:23-cv-00828-DPM Document 49 Filed 01/02/25 Page 3 of 3