King County pays $1.5 million to settle Metro lawsuit
SEATTLE -- The family of an Auburn man killed by a Metro bus has settled a wrongful death lawsuit against King County for $1.5 million.
The 21-year-old pickup driver, Michael Dahlquist, was killed in April in a head-on collision on Highway 164 in Enumclaw.
Police say bus driver Sandie Olosky may have been speeding when she swerved to avoid a vehicle that slowed in front of her. She was fired after the accident.
The lawyer for the Dahlquist family, Stephen Bulzomi, says the driver had a record of accidents and the county transit agency was negligent in allowing her to continue to drive. An investigation uncovered pages of infractions for the bus driver.
But state troopers could only charge Olosky with negligence, a charge that carries a fine of $250.
Dahlquist's parents agreed to settle with Metro for $1.5 million and Metro's promise to make serious safety changes, which Metro says it has already done.
The settlement may have provided some closure for the victim's parents. But the two could not help but swell with emotions as they recalled the accident that robbed them of their son.
"I still have nightmares all the time of that day," said father Jeff Dahlquist.
"And what we saw in the truck, no parent should ever have to experience," said mother Sabrina Dahlquist.
From now on, Metro will retrain drivers who get into two or more accidents a year. They're also going to post weekly safety bulletins for all their drivers.
A spokesperson for Metro Transit said it accepts full responsibility for the accident and extends sincere regrets to the Dahlquist family.
Michael Dahlquist would have been 23 years old this year.
The 21-year-old pickup driver, Michael Dahlquist, was killed in April in a head-on collision on Highway 164 in Enumclaw.
Police say bus driver Sandie Olosky may have been speeding when she swerved to avoid a vehicle that slowed in front of her. She was fired after the accident.
The lawyer for the Dahlquist family, Stephen Bulzomi, says the driver had a record of accidents and the county transit agency was negligent in allowing her to continue to drive. An investigation uncovered pages of infractions for the bus driver.
But state troopers could only charge Olosky with negligence, a charge that carries a fine of $250.
Dahlquist's parents agreed to settle with Metro for $1.5 million and Metro's promise to make serious safety changes, which Metro says it has already done.
The settlement may have provided some closure for the victim's parents. But the two could not help but swell with emotions as they recalled the accident that robbed them of their son.
"I still have nightmares all the time of that day," said father Jeff Dahlquist.
"And what we saw in the truck, no parent should ever have to experience," said mother Sabrina Dahlquist.
From now on, Metro will retrain drivers who get into two or more accidents a year. They're also going to post weekly safety bulletins for all their drivers.
A spokesperson for Metro Transit said it accepts full responsibility for the accident and extends sincere regrets to the Dahlquist family.
Michael Dahlquist would have been 23 years old this year.