DOVER, N.H. — A lawsuit against a Massachusetts company that employed a pickup truck driver accused of causing a collision that killed seven motorcyclists in New Hampshire will move forward, a judge ruled Thursday.

Mary Lou Welch, who lost her partner in the June crash, is suing Westfield Transport for emotional distress. A judge rejected the company’s request to have the suit dismissed, WMUR-TV reported.

Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, who was employed by Westfield Transport, has been charged with seven counts of negligent homicide and pleaded not guilty in the case.

In seeking to dismiss the lawsuit, Westfield’s lawyer argued that the company should not be held responsible for the crash because it hired Zhukovskyy.

The judge in response noted Zhukovskyy’s history of motor vehicle violations, including two arrests on drunk driving charges.

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