The family of the New York Mets AA player killed in a single- vehicle accident in 2001 will receive $131 million from Ford Motor Co..  The wrongful death suit was settled last Thursday after two previous lawsuits against Ford resulted in hung juries.  11 out of the 12 members of the Jasper County jury found Ford at fault for the accident.  The settlement came just before the jury could decide on possible punitive damages.

22-year old Brian Cole was returning home from spring training in 2001 when his Ford Explorer Sport began to veer before rolling off a Florida highway.  Cole was thrown from the vehicle and suffered serious injuries.  He later passed away at Jackson Memorial Hospital from the injuries he incurred in the accident.

Cole’s family pursued the suit against Ford believing that Cole’s Ford Explorer was unstable and did not perform according to how it was marketed.  Furthermore, the family argued that the Ford’s seat belts were defective in roll-over accidents.