A final decision regarding a fatal 2017 car wreck involving a Mississippi State University student and a Mississippi Highway Patrolman, was made in Oktibbeha County circuit.
Court documents obtained by the Starkville Daily News shows Circuit Court Judge Lee Coleman ordered that $500,000 will be deposited into the Registry of the Court by or on behalf of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety.
The money will be held in an interest-bearing or other ordinary account for disbursement to the persons adjudged by the court.
In the ruling, it states the Mississippi Department of Public Safety is an entity protected under the terms of the Mississippi Tort Claims Act.
The maximum recovery against a governmental entity, or its employee is $500,000 for all parties arising out of the collision in question, which include Tanequa Alexander, Noel Collier and the estate of Kaelin Kersh.
The complaint filed by the plaintiff Alexander, states this is a case against the MDPS for injuries and damages caused by its Mississippi Highway Patrolman Kyle Lee for both traffic offenses and recklessness in operating a patrol vehicle.
In the court document, it says Lee's conduct led to the injury of Alexander and Collier and the death of Kersh.
The documents say on May 7, 2017, at approximately 1:25 a.m. Lee was traveling eastbound on Highway 182 to verify a report of a vehicle leaving the highway.
It states Lee was speeding without blue or emergency lights and no siren. As Lee approached the intersection of Highway 182 and Old Highway 12, he failed to sound any vehicle air-horn or similar device.
In the complaint filed, it states without warning, Collier left Highway 12 and entered onto Highway 182, where Lee crashed into the driver's side of the vehicle.
Noel and Alexander were hospitalized with injury, while the front seat passenger Kersh was killed.
Alexander suffered immediate pain, broken bones, permanent scarring, "horrific" psychological damages or extreme emotional stress and distress.
The damages filed in the complaint are as follows: damages for her mental health, physiological and emotional suffering, property damages, pain and suffering, medical expenses, economic damages, loss of consortium and companionship and loss of enjoyment of life.
The defendants and other parties shall inter plead and settle between themselves.