Pinellas district, girl's family reach settlement

By Times Staff Writer
Published January 18, 2006

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ST. PETERSBURG - The Pinellas school district on Tuesday reached agreement on the terms of a settlement with the family of Brooke Ingoldsby, the 8-year-old who was killed in February after her school bus dropped her off on the wrong side of the road.

The settlement was reached during mediation with lawyers for the girl's family. It came 11 days after school officials formally admitted a district bus driver was negligent in the girl's death.

The terms of the agreement, which must be approved by the School Board, were not available late Tuesday.

School superintendent Clayton Wilcox could not be reached. A lawyer representing Brooke's parents, Chris and Michelle Allen, confirmed that an agreement had been reached and that the matter will be brought to the School Board.

State law caps liability at $200,000 for school districts and other public agencies. A district insurance policy would allow the school system to pay the family as much as $1-million more.

Any award larger than the $1.2-million would have to be approved by the Florida Legislature.