Settlement terms released in train derailment

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors disclosed its final approval of a settlement reached between the county and Metrolink over liability stemming from the January 2005 train derailment in Glendale.

Board members unanimously approved the settlement in closed session on July 13, but made it public Tuesday during their regular meeting.

As part of the settlement, the county agreed to pay Metrolink $500,000 to help cover some of the costs of defending itself against a liability lawsuit. The county had balked at picking up a portion of the defense costs, but agreed in the settlement to the amount without admitting liability in the derailment.

Eleven passengers were killed and nearly 200 others injured Jan. 26, 2005, when the Metrolink train derailed after hitting a parked Jeep Cherokee left behind by Juan Manuel Alvarez on the tracks near Chevy Chase Drive.

Alvarez was sentenced in 2008 to serve 11 consecutive life sentences in prison after he was convicted in June for causing the derailment.

After the crash, 150 legal complaints were filed, officials said.