Family of Woman Killed in DUI Accident Awarded $325,000
By Marianne Madden
Published on October 04, 2006
The jury found that alcohol use by both drivers contributed to the accident, which took the life of 18-year-old Melissa Ray, a passenger in one of the cars. While the Yellowstone County Attorney’s Office filed no criminal charges following the tragedy, Ray’s family sued both drivers for negligence and was awarded the settlement on Tuesday.
The victim's mother, Joy Mathis, filed the lawsuit against Ryan Lindstadt and Michael Marsac. Her daughter was a passenger in Marsac’s car when it hit Lindstadt’s pickup truck around 4:30 a.m.
Investigators found that Lindstadt had run a stop sign and was broadsided by Marsac’s car. Lindstadt later admitted he had drunk beer earlier in the evening. Marsac had a similar story: After attending a party earlier that night, he was speeding and also driving under the influence. The jury in the recent civil trial found that Lindstadt was most responsible for the collision.
Following the accident, Marsac was convicted of misdemeanor DUI. He was given a fine and a six-month suspended jail sentence. Lindstadt was charged only with failing to stop at the stop sign. These charges followed a long investigation of the accident, which lead prosecutors to conclude that there was insufficient evidence to file criminal charges against either driver in the death of Ray.
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