City Council unanimously approved the settlements last Thursday
TRENTON -- Trenton has agreed to pay $725,000 to settle two lawsuits involving police -- one claiming wrongful death and the other claiming injury following a crash with a police cruiser.
City Council unanimously approved the settlements last Thursday. Councilman George Muschal was absent.
One lawsuit was filed after the death of Kenneth Howard, who was found unconscious on the floor of a Trenton police jail cell in January 2011. The city agreed to pay the family $690,000 to settle the years-old case a week before it was scheduled to go on trial.
The suit accused police officers of failing to properly supervise the 55-year-old while he was in a holding cell on warrants charges. Howard suffered from cirrhosis of the liver and lay undiscovered for nearly seven hours, although authorities said officers should have been checking on him every half-hour. He died the following day from chronic liver failure.
The city will pay $417,585 of the settlement and its insurance carrier will pay the remaining $272,414.
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The second lawsuit stemmed from a July 25, 2013, accident involving a police car. Maximo Rodriguez-Torres alleges he was at the intersection of Whittaker Avenue and Elmer Street when a cruiser being driven by Officer Samuel Santiago drove through the stop sign and collided with his car.
"Santiago was negligent in the operation of his motor vehicle in that he failed to make proper and precautionary observations, failed to operate his vehicle in a safe manner and was otherwise inattentive, careless and negligent," the suit said.
Rodriguez-Torres claims that he suffered "severe and permanent bodily injuries ... which caused him great pain and suffering."
The city agreed to settle the case for $35,000.
The resolutions said the settlements don't constitute an admission of any liability.
On Thursday, City Council also approved a third settlement for $12,500 with K. Hovnanian at Trenton Urban Renewal, LLC over the release of performance bonds at the Delaware Run project.
Cristina Rojas may be reached at crojas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaRojasTT. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
