City settles suit in fatal crash

A settlement between the city of La Cañada Flintridge and the family of the victims who died in the April 1, 2009 runaway truck crash on Angeles Crest Highway is expected to be formalized this week, according a lawyer involved with the case.

Attorney Scott Grossberg, who was representing the city on behalf of the California Joint Powers Insurance Authority, said Monday that the CJPIA had decided to issue a settlement of $50,000 to the family of Angel Posca and his 12-year-old daughter Angelina, who perished in the accident.

Of that $50,000, the first $30,000 will be paid by the city, with the remaining $20,000 payment shared by the membership of the authority, City Manager Mark Alexander said.

“The city is pleased to have resolved this and have it behind it,” City Attorney Mark Steres said. “It was a minimal payment to resolve it for the city.”

The Posca family settled with Caltrans for $2.25 million and with the big-rig’s driver, Marcos Costa, for $900,000. Costa was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, gross vehicular manslaughter and reckless driving last summer.

Grossberg said that the city’s settlement was based on a calculation against the further costs of defending the case, not on any admission of blame on the part of the city.

Caltrans attorney Christopher Hiddleson said that the Posca family’s case was now fully settled out of court, leaving only some minor claims against Caltrans from other parties.

The Poscas’ lawyer, Chris Aitken, did not respond to requests for comment.