7Jun/080
Supreme Court Caps Drunken Driving Payment
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A passenger in a vehicle that caused a fatal drunken driving crash does not have to pay another $250,000 in the death, a divided Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.
The 4-3 decision means Badger Mutual Insurance Co., which insured David Schrimpf, will not pay more to the widow of Chris Richards.
Richards was killed when a vehicle driven by Schrimpf's friend, Robert Zimmerlee, crashed into his car in the Milwaukee area. Zimmerlee and Schrimpf were both 19 and had been drinking beer bought by one of Schrimpf's co-workers, Tomakia Pratchet.
Richards' widow, Michelle, reached a $1.3 million settlement with Zimmerlee. She then filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Schrimpf and Badger Mutual alleging...