Caltrans Settles Lawsuit over Construction Site Death

August 26, 2016

The California Department of Transportation has settled a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the parents of a 24-year-old woman who was killed by a drunk driver while working on a nighttime paving project.

Attorneys for both sides told the Fresno Bee that Caltrans did not admit liability as part of the settlement. The agency did pay the parents of Regan Johnson $850,000 for her July 2012 death while working on Highway 99 in Fresno.

Bill and Malan Johnson sued Caltrans for negligence and failure to provide a safe work area for their daughter. Caltrans attorney Steven McQuillan says the agency argues that driver Alyssa Villanueva was solely responsible for Regan Johnson’s death.

Villanueva, now 30, pleaded guilty in 2014 and was sentenced to more than 17 years in prison.

Topics Lawsuits Training Development Construction

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Latest Comments

  • August 29, 2016 at 1:20 pm
    Joe says:
    The murderer was probably broke and the Johnson family deserves something. It's too bad that Caltrans was the party who had to pony up.
  • August 29, 2016 at 1:18 pm
    Joe says:
    The drunk murderer was probably broke and the $850K is likely the only money this family was going to get. It's a shame that Caltrans has to pay it though.
  • August 26, 2016 at 3:10 pm
    Jim says:
    It would be much more informative is the report included at least a summary of the accident and determination of fault.

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