'I Got Justice'

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By By Kevin Reece

Summary

The City of Shoreline settled a lawsuit Monday filed by the father of a girl struck and killed in a crosswalk nearly three years ago.

Story Published: Feb 9, 2005 at 1:47 AM PDT

Story Updated: Jul 29, 2009 at 9:52 AM PDT

'I Got Justice'
SHORELINE - Monday the City of Shoreline settled a lawsuit filed by the father of a girl struck and killed in a crosswalk nearly three years ago.

"I got justice," said Dave Townsend. "It's not about the money, it's about their signature."

The City of Shoreline signed documents Monday, not admitting guilt, but agreeing to pay Townsend $500,000. An additional $100,000 will come from the insurance company of the driver who hit and killed Townsend's daughter.

Townsend sought as much as $22 million after the death of his 11-year-old daughter, Tia, in March 2002.

She was on her way to school and walking across 15th NE at 170th with a friend. The first two cars stopped. A third driver, an 82-year-old man, didn't see the girls and slammed into them in the crosswalk. Tia's classmate survived. Tia was thrown nearly 20 yards.

Townsend's lawsuit claimed the accident happened because the crosswalk was poorly designed, that it should have had a stop light and that the city ignored dozens of other accidents at the same intersection.

After Tia's death, Townsend became a crusader for changes at that and other Shoreline crosswalks.

He helped get federal money to improve the intersection with in pavement flashing lights and other warning signs. He started a foundation called T.I.A. (Traffic Intersection Awareness) and began taking classes to become a certified traffic safety engineer.

The crosswalk where Tia died still does not have the stoplight Townsend wants. The City of Shoreline hasn't promised any changes or admitted any guilt. So David says the money will not make him shut up.

"This crusader or passion that I have is not gonna end even when that crosswalk is put back together," said Townsend. "I've got a lot of avenues to keep on running my mouth and writing papers and talking to whoever will listen. And sooner or later even if it's 20 years down the road I'm gonna make changes to that crosswalk and many many others."

Townsend says money from the settlement will go toward his continuing traffic safety campaigns. He was recently hired as a consultant to help the 29 Native American tribes in the state of Washington study traffic safety issues on reservation land.

For More Information:

'Don't Let The 5 Minutes You Save Be The Last 5 Minutes Of Someone's Life'

T.I.A Foundation

Keep Kids Alive Drive 25