"It's a record amount. The city has never paid that amount. What made this case different was the violation of safety protocols. The settlement comes more than three years after the January 2023 crash when former Bakersfield Police Department Officer Ricardo Robles ran a stop sign at 80 mph without triggering his police sirens."
"The force of the impact caused the Honda to be pushed off the road and onto a dirt shoulder before ending up on its side. Lares, 30, died from injuries sustained in the crash, and Hernandez continues to suffer from head trauma, emotional distress and ongoing medical expenses."
"Hernandez's injuries resulted in a screw in her lower back that required physical therapy. She had a huge bump in her leg caused by the crash that will never go away and nobody knows how to fix."
Bakersfield, California agreed to pay $22 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit stemming from a January 2023 vehicle collision. Former Police Officer Ricardo Robles ran a stop sign at 80 mph without activating his sirens, striking a vehicle driven by Mario Lares, who died from his injuries. Passenger Ana Hernandez suffered severe injuries including head trauma and a permanent leg injury requiring ongoing medical treatment. The settlement represents a record amount for the city. Robles pleaded no contest to vehicular manslaughter in 2024 and received one day in jail, two years probation, and community service. The case highlighted violations of safety protocols by law enforcement.
#police-misconduct #wrongful-death-settlement #vehicle-collision #law-enforcement-accountability #safety-protocol-violations
Read at SFGATE
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