Wrongful Death Lawsuit Over Bicycle Accident Settled for $2.3M

The family of a bicyclist killed when a sheriff’s deputy fell asleep behind the wheel, will receive a $2.3 million wrongful death lawsuit settlement from Santa Clara County in California.

The bicycle accident lawsuit was filed by the parents of Matt Peterson, 29, of San Francisco. He and Kristy Gough, 30, both suffered fatal injuries on March 9, 2008, when Santa Clara Deputy James Council’s car crossed the centerline of the road, and struck the bicyclists. A third bicyclist, Christopher Knapp, was also badly injured in the accident.

Gough’s family and Knapp have also filed personal injury lawsuits against the county, Council and the sheriffs office.

According to a San Francisco Chronicle report, the county also hopes to reach an agreement to settle the other lawsuits in the near future.

Council, who fell asleep behind the wheel of his squad car, was sentenced to four months in jail and 800 hours of community service after he pled guilty to two misdemeanor charges of vehicular manslaughter. Council will be able to serve the jail term at home under detention or in the sheriff’s work furlough program. He is barred from driving a police car or carrying a gun and has been demoted to a sheriffs technician.