Articles

News in Brief
Deputy sheriff in Culpeper, hurt in crash, wins $296K
November 03, 1977
Cite This Page:  12 VLW 657

A Culpeper County Circuit Court jury has awarded $296,000 to a deputy sheriff who was injured in a car crash while on duty.

The insurer of the other driver, who was killed, already had admitted liability.  The jury’s only responsibility during the three-day trial was to determine the amount of the award, according to a news brief.

The case involved Culpeper Deputy Joseph L. Brakowiecki, who sued the estate of Matthew Gordon Gaither.

Brakowiecki was responding to a domestic dispute on Feb. 9, 1998, when, while traveling on State Rt. 669, his police cruiser was struck almost head-on by a car driven by Gaither, who had lost control of his car and skidded into the oncoming lane, according to allegations in the suit.

Gaither’s vehicle went on to hit a tree.  Gaither was thrown from the vehicle and died at the scene.

Brakowiecki was wearing a seat belt and his air bag deployed.  He was treated for a blow to the right side of his head.

According to testimony in the case, the deputy has been on medical leave since the incident.  He continues to suffer from neck, back, leg and foot pain, and both of his hips are out of alignment.  He also suffers psychological distress from the incident.

The deputy alleged that the defendant was operating his vehicle “in a careless, reckless and negligent manner.”

Richmond lawyer Jay Tronfeld represented the plaintiff.

© 2000 Lawyers Weekly Inc, All Rights Reserved