Erin Achenbach//December 26, 2024//
A $1 million settlement was reached in the case of the death of 19-year-old man killed in a parking lot in Kansas City during a “takeover” event in September 2022.
Both parties remained confidential in the settlement, which was reached July 29.
The claim alleged the parking lot’s owners failed to implement reasonable safety measures to prevent events like “takeovers” and “sideshows” that led to the man’s death despite a documented history of similar events at the property.
Takeovers/sideshows are events where drivers perform stunts such as drifting and donuts, typically in front of large crowds. The 19-year-old man was a spectator at one such event in September 2022, when he was hit by a driver performing a sliding maneuver. The man was treated at the scene and the hospital for his injuries but died within hours.
The claim alleged that the parking lot’s owners had a duty to prevent such events, especially if the owners had the knowledge that hundreds of drivers, often teenagers, were using the parking lot to perform stunts. The claim argued that lack of safety measures created a hazardous environment where a tragic outcome was inevitable.
The defendants agreed to resolve the claims before a lawsuit was filed, resulting in a confidential settlement.
The plaintiff’s lead attorney, Richard Fisk of Beam-Ward, Kruse, Wilson & Fletes in Overland Park, Kansas, said that it was a very emotional case for the family, but that they were hopeful that the outcome of the case would have a larger impact.
“It presented itself as an opportunity to help the family, and hopefully community,” Fisk said. “We’re hopeful beyond the immediate impact that there’s some downstream effect … the community gets a little stronger and a little safer.”
Fisk added that social media, such as Snapchat, has made sideshow and takeovers events more prolific.
“(The parking lot owners) knew these things were going on and did nothing to stop it,” he said. “It was a large (warehouse) parking lot … an unintended consequence is it allowed a lot of people to drift and slide.”
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- Premises liability and wrongful death
- Amount of settlement: $1 million
- Type of action: Premises liability and wrongful death
- Case Number/Date: 7/29/2024
- Plaintiffs’ experts: None
- Defendants’ experts: None
- Injuries: Death
- Caption: Confidential V. Confidential
- Plaintiff’s attorney: Richard Fisk of Beam-Ward, Kruse, Wilson & Fletes
- Defendant’s attorneys: Confidential
This article credit to MOLawyersMedia