FL S0078

Authorizes the City of North Miami to pay $200,000 to Maricelly Lopez, individually and as personal representative of the Estate of Omar Mieles, for the wrongful death of her 18-year-old son on November 11, 2007

Officer James Ray Thompson negligently drove a police vehicle at high speed and collided with the vehicle where Omar Mieles was a back-seat passenger, throwing him 35 feet from the car and causing fatal injuries

A jury awarded $3,542,000 in damages on March 19, 2010, with 50% fault assigned to the City of North Miami and 50% to the driver of the vehicle carrying Mieles, resulting in a final judgment of $1,719,808.63 against the city

The city previously paid $108,571.30 under the statutory liability limits in s. 768.28, Florida Statutes, and passed a resolution unanimously supporting the $200,000 settlement

Attorney fees, lobbying fees, costs, and similar expenses are capped at 25% of the $200,000 award, and this payment settles all present and future claims related to Omar Mieles' death