Exclusive: Woman run over at Point Lobos speaks after jury awards her nearly $19M
By Felix Cortez
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CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA, Calif. (KSBW) — Helen Anthony, a Rhode Island woman, has been awarded nearly $19 million by a Monterey County jury for injuries she sustained when she was run over by a state parks volunteer at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve in June 2023.
Anthony expressed gratitude to the jury, saying she was “appreciative of the jury who took a month of their time to hear all the evidence.”
She detailed her injuries, stating, “I have a traumatic brain injury. I had my jaw totally dislocated on both sides. My teeth were knocked out, my top teeth. I had a fracture underneath my left eye,” and added, “I was face down, not breathing on the side of the road.”
The driver was a state park volunteer who accidentally pressed the accelerator instead of the brakes.
Anthony filed a claim against the state parks, arguing that the 82-year-old park docent was not a state employee, thereby clearing the state of any liability.
Anthony said, “This was just unbelievable. Not only that, the state actually threatened us with a letter, threatened us by letter, saying that if we brought this frivolous suit against the state, they were going to sue us for costs. I mean, it’s just unbelievable.”
Anthony’s attorneys argued that the docent was the responsibility of the state, was driving a park’s vehicle, and was not properly trained.
Her attorney, Roger Dreyer, said, “No one was in charge. And if you don’t put anybody in charge, no one’s responsible. Guess what happens? Things like this tragedy. You got to have accountability. You got to have people assigned to do their job. And then you have to watch them to make sure they did it.”
After a month-long trial and a day and a half of deliberation, the civil jury sided with Anthony, awarding her nearly $19 million for pain, suffering, and loss of wages.
At the time of the accident, Anthony was a councilwoman and land use attorney in Providence, Rhode Island.
She said, “The deficits are such that I can’t do my law practice or be on city council, which is something that I’ve been passionate about.”
Dreyer emphasized the impact of the loss, stating, “This money, Ms. Anthony, would flush it down the toilet if she could go back to having her real life for her family and for herself. No amount of money compensates someone for the grievous nature of her loss.”
California State Parks issued a statement saying, “California State Parks respects the jury’s decision and expresses its sincere and deepest sympathy to Helen Anthony and her family for the injuries she suffered at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve.”
The parks department is considering an appeal to the $18.9 million judgment, while Anthony and her attorneys hope the department will review its training and protocols for volunteers statewide.
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