$2 Million Awarded to Family of Girl Killed by Electric Cart

A former Walnut couple whose 5-year-old daughter was killed by an electric cart at Los Angeles’ Union Station will receive more than $2 million as part of a lawsuit settlement.

Alfredo and Mary Lou Blancarte’s daughter, Amber, was killed in June, 1993, by a battery-powered passenger cart at the station.

Amber, her brother and her youngest sister were playing on the unattended cart, which was left with the keys in the ignition and in reverse gear, said the family’s attorney, Frank N. Darras. Amber’s brother was in the driver’s seat as she hung onto the back bumper when he pushed the accelerator and went backward into two pillars, crushing her, Darras said.

A settlement in the lawsuit against Amtrak, Catellus Development, Metrolink and the cart manufacturer, Industrial Electric Vehicles, was reached last week. Details of the settlement were not available.

In the wake of the death, Amtrak, Catellus and Metrolink have retrofitted all passenger carts with two pedals. The left foot must depress one pedal while the right foot operates the accelerator. They also have changed the recharging area and posted signs reminding staff to remove the keys.

“The matter is resolved,” said Jeffrey S. Kravitz, the attorney for Amtrak, Metrolink and the developer. Kravitz said his clients paid $1.9 million of the million settlement.