Tesla settles wrongful death lawsuit over 2018 Fort Lauderdale crash
A wrongful death lawsuit tied to a 2018 Tesla crash in Fort Lauderdale that killed two teenagers has been resolved, a Broward judge announced Monday, just as the trial was set to begin.
The parents of 18-year-old Edgar Monserratt Martinez had sued Tesla and the family of the driver, Barrett Riley, alleging negligence in the fiery crash that killed both teens weeks before their high school graduation.
Judge rulings in court Monday afternoon revealed the case had been resolved, though details of the settlement were not disclosed.
According to the lawsuit, Martinez was a passenger in a 2014 Tesla Model S driven by his best friend, Riley, in May 2018. Investigators said Riley was traveling at 116 mph in a 30-mph zone along A1A in Fort Lauderdale when he lost control, slammed into a concrete wall and the vehicle burst into flames.
Both Riley and Martinez were killed. A third passenger, a classmate, was ejected from the vehicle and survived.
Tesla, driver's family accused of negligence in deadly crash
Martinez's family argued Tesla bore responsibility, claiming the vehicle's battery was defective and contributed to the fire. The lawsuit also alleged a Tesla technician removed a speed-limiting device during servicing without the consent of Riley's parents.
Riley's parents had previously installed the limiter to cap the car's speed at 85 mph after their son received a speeding ticket.
The judge said Tesla reached a resolution in the case late last week.
The status of the claims against Riley's family was not immediately clear, though Barrett Riley's father, James Riley, declined to comment as he left court Monday. Martinez's parents also declined to speak publicly.
The case follows a separate lawsuit filed by Riley's family against Tesla. In that case, a jury awarded $10.5 million in damages but found Tesla only 1% negligent, meaning the company paid $105,000. The jury determined Barrett Riley was 90% responsible for the crash, while his father was found 9% negligent.
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