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An out-of-court settlement has been reached in the estate of Jill L. Carpenter, who was killed in an auto accident March 29, 1999.
The defendants in the case agreed to pay a total of $7.371 million to Carpenter's surviving spouse, Jack Carpenter, and their children, Quentyn and Griffyn Carpenter.
The attorneys in the case, Andrew J. Detherage and Charles P. Edwards of Barnes & Thornburg, Indianapolis, and Jack L. Boyd, Indianapolis, will receive $2,709,071.34 from the settlement, with the net settlement for the Carpenters being $4,661,928.66. Of that amount, Jack Carpenter will receive a cash payment of $2,330,964.33, while the children's shares will be partially made over time, beginning when the boys turn 18, and partially placed into a trust for them.
Jill Carpenter was en route to work the morning of March 29, 1999, and was stopped facing eastbound at a red traffic light on U.S. 30 at the intersection of CR 150W when a semi tractor with two trailers driven by Edwin L. Lynch of Ohio struck Carpenter's car from behind.
A corresponding lawsuit claimed that Lynch, while employed by Roadway Express Inc., disregarded multiple warnings of the intersection, including two sets of signs, four sets of rumble strips, the traffic lights and warnings from officers who were at the intersection investigating a separate traffic accident.
As a result of the accident, Carpenter was trapped in the wreckage of her car and died from her injuries en route to the hospital.
Criminal charges remain pending against Lynch, who was charged with reckless homicide a year after the accident occurred. A four-day trial on a reckless homicide charge is set for March in Kosciusko Circuit Court.
The agreement in the estate was approved by Jack Carpenter as well as the defendants, Roadway Express Inc., Lynch and Old Republic Insurance Co.
Acceptance of the agreement is considered the final settlement and, upon receipt of payment, the civil lawsuit will be ordered dismissed with prejudice, which means the plaintiff in the case is barred from the right to bring any other action in the same matter before the court.
The settlement agreement was accepted in Kosciusko Circuit Court in December, with Michael L. Miner assigned as temporary judge for that day.
