Family of Girl Who Laid Down on Railroad Tracks Wants $5 Million From the City of Mission Viejo

Let me give you some backstory on this.  Back on September 9th I heard the Orange County Fire Authority dispatch for a train versus pedestrian accident near my home.  I grabbed my camera and went to the scene.  The photos and information about the incident can be found here.

Bottom line, three people decided early that morning, for reasons that are either unknown or haven't been released, to lie down in-between or right next to the very busy train tracks that run through Mission Viejo where they cross under Alicia Parkway.  All three were struck by a northbound Metrolink train and two were killed.  These tracks are in use day and night by Amtrak, Metrolink and BNSF freight trains.  It's not exactly a secret that high-speed trains go through that area and can do so at any time.

There is still a shrine to the dead along Alicia Parkway, and things have leaped to new heights of ridiculousness with this story from the Mission Viejo Patch:

Will the family of train crash victim Anastasia Bolton receive $5 million from the city?

City staffers are recommending the city not pay the damages requested from Stephanie Bolton, whose relationship to Bolton was unclear based on city documents.

On Sept. 9 2010, former Mission Viejo High School student Bolton, 17, was struck and killed by a commuter train traveling beneath the Alicia Parkway overpass. Her friend Daniel Akins, 22, of Mission Viejo, was also killed.

The City Council will vote on the settlement Monday night at its 6 p.m. meeting.

Under what possible basis is the city liable for this? And under what basis is this person's life worth $5 million? This is nothing more than deep pockets ambulance chasing litigation at its best, hoping for some sort of settlement from the city to pay for this girl's poor choices..

Just say no, City Council.  Just say no.