A wrongful death suit resulting from a collision at 100 miles per hour has settled for $75,000.
St. Clair County Circuit Judge Vincent Lopinot granted the plaintiff’s petition to settle the case on July 14.
Plaintiff Lisa Ferrarie-Darron received an offer of settlement for the wrongful death and survivorship claims from the defendants and their insurers for $75,000, which is the limit of their insurance coverage. According to her contract with Roth Law Offices in Granite City, $25,000 of the settlement will go towards attorney’s fees and $1,555.53 will go towards court costs.
Ferrarie-Darron’s daughter, Mercedes Ferrarie-Troisi, died last year at age 18 in the high speed collision
Ferrarie-Darron sued Donald Friese, Dennis Torres, Gina Torres and Brandy Hayes on July 11. She claims Friese drove at an excessive speed and failed to control his vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Friese allegedly chased a Buick LeSabre in a GMC Yukon and struck the Buick, causing it to crash at Collinsville Road and 47th Street in Fairmont City.
Dennis Torres is the owner of the Yukon. Gina Torres, Friense’s fiancé, was allegedly a passenger in the Yukon at the time of the collision. She is accused of hitting the Buick with objects and encouraging Friese to drive unlawfully.
Hayes was allegedly the driver of the Buick. She is accused of speeding and violating a duty of ordinary care while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Lopinot split the settlement award between the decedent’s living relatives. Her mother was awarded $32,600
Her father, Angelo Troisi, was awarded $10,000. Her brother, Dominic Darron, was awarded $4,844. Her brother, Domink Cleffi, was awarded $1,000. Another brother, Richard Ferrarie, was noted as having no dependency on the decedent, so he was not included in the award distribution.
The plaintiff filed a petition to settle the case on June 18, stating that it is in the best interest of the decedent’s next of kin to settle the case.
She later filed an amended petition to settle on July 14, in which she included the requested distribution of dependency amongst the decedent’s next of kin.
Last year, state’s attorney Brendan Kelly charged Friese with murder or action creating a strong possibility of killing or injuring another. He has remained in jail since the crash.
Hayes is represented by Dominique N. Seymoure and Jennifer M. Wagner of Reed, Armstrong, Mudge & Morrissey in Edwardsville.
Dennis Torres, Gina Torres and Friese are represented by David O. Hesi of Bingley, Hart & Hesi in St. Louis.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 14-L-544