2020 rollover accident happened at Scottsdale Road at Princess Drive
By Terrance Thornton | Digital Free Press
Scottsdale City Council has approved an out-of-court settlement in the amount of $200,000 to resolve claims stemming from a rollover accident in October 2020 near the intersection of Scottsdale Road and Princess Drive.
The unanimous decision happened at the Tuesday, March 2, City Council meeting at City Hall, 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd.
“This lawsuit arises from a high-speed single vehicle rollover accident that occurred on October 20, 2020, near Scottsdale Road and Princess Drive,” said City Attorney Sherry Scott in her April 2 report to City Council.
“Plaintiff Benjiman Moulinet was driving an SUV with his pregnant wife, Jayme Hileman, in the front passenger seat and their three young children in the rear seat, ages 7, 4 and 11 months. As the vehicle approached Princess Drive, Mr. Moulinet saw an object in his lane of travel that was later confirmed to be a manhole cover partially out of its frame and titled up in the roadway.”
Ms. Scott explains the out-of-place manhole played a role in Mr. Moulinet’s account of the accident.
“Mr. Moulinet was unable to avoid hitting the partially open manhole and displaced manhole cover with the front wheel of his vehicle,” she said in her report.
“[The] plaintiffs’ vehicle was launched in the air by the impact before rolling onto its roof and sliding approximately 105 feet to a stop. The five vehicle occupants were transported to three different hospital emergency rooms for treatment and/or evaluation.”
Ms. Scott says the original notice of claim against the city of Scottsdale sought a payment of $800,000 for alleged neurological injuries sustained by the driver of the vehicle, Mr. Moulinet.
If the case were to proceed to trial, the plaintiffs would likely ask a jury to award money damages for at least that amount,” Ms. Scott said in her report. “The parties participated in formal mediation with an independent mediator on March 7, 2024, and agreed, subject to City Council approval, to resolve the litigation for $200,000.”
Ms. Scott explains upon payment the matter is settled.
