Family of Bicyclist Killed by Police Offer to Receive $2.3 Million

By Andrew Weatherford

Published on August 06, 2009

Santa Clara County has agreed to pay $2.3 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the parents of a man who was killed in an accident caused by a sheriff's deputy who had fallen asleep at the wheel of his squad car. Matt Peterson, 29, was riding a bicycle when he was struck and killed by a police vehicle driven by Deputy James Council.

A second bicyclist was also killed in the accident and a third was seriously injured. Deputy Council hit the three bicyclists after falling asleep and crossing the center line into the other lane of the road.

The family members of the other victim killed in the accident have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the county, the sheriff's office, and Deputy Council. A personal injury lawsuit has been filed by the surviving bicyclist. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the defendants hope to settle these lawsuits in the near future.

After pleading guilty to two charges of vehicular manslaughter, Deputy Council received 800 hours of community service and was sentenced to four months of jail. He has been demoted to a sheriff's technician and is no longer allowed to drive a police car.

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