Nearly $14M Settlement Reached in Crash that Killed Kentucky Officer

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A nearly $14 million settlement has been reached in a lawsuit over a 2018 crash that killed a Kentucky police officer.

The money will go to the son of Louisville Metro Police Detective Deidre “Dee Dee” Mengedoht, who died on Christmas Eve in 2018 after a semitruck driven by a Metropolitan Sewer District employee crashed into the officer’s cruiser during a traffic stop, news outlets reports.

Mengedoht’s family accused driver Roger Burdette of negligence in the crash and accused the Metropolitan Sewer District of not properly employing, supervising and training him.

Louisville attorney Ron Hillerich says lawyers mediated all day Saturday before reaching the $13.65 million settlement. He said Mengedoht’s son is the beneficiary.

“The loss of a child for a mother, and the loss of a mother for a child (is) a loss that never ends,” Hillerich said. “The money will certainly help this young man, and we hope some of these wounds will start to heal because of the closure … but it’s a great loss.”

Sewer district spokeswoman Sheryl Lauder said the $13.65 million settlement will be paid by insurance and that the agency continues to mourn the loss of the officer.

Attorney Marc Murphy, the lead counsel for Burdette in the civil case, said he could not comment on the settlement due to “the pending criminal prosecution.”

Burdette has pleaded not guilty to charges from the crash including murder, wanton endangerment and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.