A jury in Los Angeles County granted $61 million in damages to the parents of a Torrance high school baseball player who died in a car accident caused by two men involved in an aggressive, high-speed chase.
“The boy was deeply cherished by all who knew him, and his loss is a daily sorrow for his family and community,” stated the plaintiffs' lead counsel. “This verdict provides his family with some measure of relief as they cope with this inconceivable loss.”
The incident began when one defendant, driving an Audi in Torrance, collided with another defendant's car and fled. The second defendant, reportedly encouraged by a 911 operator to pursue the vehicle for its license plate number, engaged in a high-speed chase. This chase led to a collision with the plaintiff's minivan during a left-hand turn, resulting in the 16-year-old’s death.
The jury allocated wrongful death damages of $23,250,000 to the mother and $20,500,000 to the father, along with $16,000,000 for the father's injuries. Punitive damages of $2,000,000 were assigned against the first defendant and $18,000 against the second. The total compensation to the family amounted to $61,768,000, with the first defendant being held 95% responsible and the second 5%.
