LOS ANGELES (CNS) — A West Hills woman whose mother and sister were killed when an SUV hit them as they walked across a street in 2016 have reached a settlement in the lawsuit she filed against the city of Los Angeles, court papers show.
Jennifer Deiuliis’ Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit, filed in February 2017, alleged the intersection of Roscoe Boulevard and Jason Avenue in West Hills was negligently designed and controlled. The lawsuit dealt only with the death of Deiuliis’ mother, 69-year-old Pia Botz, and not that of her sibling, 31-year-old Erica Botz.
Deiuliis’ lawyers have filed court papers with Judge Theresa M. Traber stating that the case was resolved. No terms were revealed and the papers were unclear as to whether the accord is subject to City Council approval.
Erica Botz and the family’s dog, a Labrador retriever, died at the scene of the accident, which occurred about 8:20 p.m. on April 11, 2016. Pia Botz died later at a hospital.
A Subaru Forester was traveling westbound on Roscoe at about 40 mph when it struck the West Hills residents, who were walking their pet in a crosswalk, according to the lawsuit.
The driver stopped at the scene and spoke to investigators, saying it was dark and that he did not see the victims, police said previously. The motorist was not cited and police called the deaths “a tragic accident.”
The lawsuit stated that the speed limit is 40 mph on both Roscoe and Jason. The suit alleged the intersection was unsafe because the lighting was poor and it lacked both a traffic signal and signs warning drivers they are nearing a crosswalk.
Some residents of the area told reporters at the time of the accident that motorists often speed on Roscoe. They suggested that improvements be made at the intersection to make it safer for people to cross.