Williams Settles Wrongful Death Suit for $2.3M
The family of a Mesa motorcyclist who died in a crash involving a Williams police officer has settled a wrongful death lawsuit with the city for $2.3 million.
Williams officials say the award to the family of James A. Innes was paid out by the city’s insurance company.
The 46-year-old Innes was killed May 20 when his motorcycle ran into a police car that was making a U-turn on Highway 64 north of Williams. Innes died at the scene and the driver of the police car — 24-year-old officer Brandon E. Hernandez — suffered minor injuries.
Coconino County authorities found no criminal wrongdoing by Hernandez, but the officer was issued a ticket by the state Department of Public Safety for making an unsafe turn.
Authorities say tests showed Innes had a blood-alcohol content of 0.178 percent at the time of his death — more than twice the state’s legal limit of 0.08 percent — and had marijuana in his system.