$50,000 Connecticut Car Accident Settlement Involving One Man's "Gut Instinct" and One Woman's Comforting Dog
The state of Connecticut has agreed to a $50,000 car accident settlement with a North Haven woman whose van was hit by a car being chased by a police officer six years ago. Michelle Reed claimed in her personal injury lawsuit that the accident caused post-traumatic disorder which requires her to rely on the comfort of a service dog 24/7 to deal with her pain. Reed did not sustain any physical injuries from the accident.
The strange case began when Connecticut Trooper William Urgo pulled over Ricky Lyons for speeding in July 2000 and developed what he described in testimony as a “gut instinct” that the woman in the car with Lyons was being held against her will. This feeling proved wrong as the passenger, Colleen Shea ,was in the vehicle based on her own will. In fact, Shea owned the car.
Nervous by Urgo’s suspicions, Lyons suddenly sped off from the officer. A chase ensued for the next 4.5 miles with speeds reaching 90 mph. Immediately after Urgo’s supervisor called off the chase when Lyons drove down a North Haven ramp, the suspect slammed into Reed’s van at a stoplight. In addition to the state and Reed’s Connecticut personal injury lawyer coming to terms on a settlement, Lyons and Shea agreed to pay $7,000 and $500 respectively to Reed.