Rocker David Crosby agrees to $3 million settlement

June 20, 2016
David Crosby

David Crosby

By KAREN VELIE

David Crosby agreed to pay a $3 million settlement following the April filing of a suit that alleged the Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame singer was intoxicated when he crashed into a jogger last year, according to court records.

On March 22, 2015, Jose Luquin and his 14-year-old son were jogging on Baseline Avenue in Santa Ynez when they heard a car approaching. The father then fell behind his son to give the vehicle room to pass, according to a CHP report.

However, shortly before 6 p.m., Crosby’s 2015 black Tesla struck Luquin tossing the jogger in front of his son.

Responders airlifted Luquin to a local hospital with serious injuries including a broken leg, a broken arm, a broken shoulder, broken ribs and a damaged kidney. The collision cracked Crosby’s windshield, broke his right side mirror, dented the right rear door, cracked the front bumper and dented the right front fender, the report says.

Crosby told CHP officers he had not been drinking and that he had been blinded by the sun. Crosby said he wasn’t aware of the joggers until he felt an impact on the right side of his Tesla.

The officers determined Crosby was driving at an unsafe speed considering the lack of visibility, though at 55 mph, Crosby was driving at the speed limit. In addition, officers noted that Luquin was jogging with traffic on the side of the road which contributed to the accident.

Officers took Crosby for his word and did not perform alcohol or drug testing.

“Officer at the scene determined alcohol was not a factor and there was no further investigation into alcohol or drug use,” said California Highway Patrol spokesman J. Ortega.

Nevertheless, according to the suit filed by San Luis Obispo based attorney James McKiernan, plaintiffs were “informed and believed” Crosby was intoxicated at the time of the accident.

“As a direct and proximate result of defendant’s compromised and debilitated physical and mental condition due to ingesting alcohol and/or prescription drugs and/or non-prescription drugs and/or other intoxicants and or hallucinogens, the defendant maliciously and oppressively operated his motor vehicle in a fashion that caused injury to the plaintiffs,” according to an expedited minor’s compromise.

McKiernan declined to comment on the case.

Crosby’s settlement includes an agreement to pay $2,950,000 to Luquin and $50,000 to his son, according to court records.

Crosby, 74, is a founding member of legendary rock groups The Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash.

Crosby has a long history of drug and alcohol abuse.

David Crosby mugshotIn 1982, Crosby was convicted for heroin and cocaine possession and a weapons offense. He was incarcerated for nine months in Texas.

In 1985, Crosby was arrested after driving into a fence in Marin County and then fleeing the scene. An officer searched his car and found cocaine and a .45-caliber pistol. Crosby was charged with DUI, hit-and-run, possession of a concealed weapon and possession of drug paraphernalia.

In 1994, a controversy ensued when Phil Collins paid for Crosby to receive a liver transplant needed after a long bout with hepatitis C. Critics questioned if Crosby’s celebrity status pushed him to the top of the recipient list despite his drug and alcohol issues.

In 2004, Crosby forgot his suitcase in a hotel room. A maid opened the suitcase to search for identification and found marijuana and .45-caliber pistol. When Crosby returned to get his bag, he was arrested for criminal possession of a weapon and possession of marijuana.

Luquin’s attorney, McKiernan, has been involved in a number of scandalous celebrity cases over his career including a sexual harassment case with Mel Gibson, Paris Hilton’s sex tape case, John Derek’s automobile crash while in a liaison, and a case in which Michael Jackson wanted the critical care unit of Marian Medical Center in Santa Maria to himself after falling ill during his trial. Jackson’s request resulted in hospital staff taking a 75-year-old woman off life support and performing hand pumping while the hospital found a new room for her.

 


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I once cared for a 19 year old girl that was born into this world with Hepatitis C, transferred via mother. She patiently waited for her “turn” for a liver, turning yellow, getting an ascites tumor, smiling through her discomfort. She was flown out of our hospital to Stanford, where I heard she died waiting.


Then I read about assholes like David Crosby getting a precious organ all while being an addict and alcoholic.


3 million dollars seems more than fair to the victim. Think about your ribs for just one second. Imagine broken ribs and the pain one experiences just breathing. Now imagine coughing, laughing, having the hiccups. Ribs don’t heal quickly. We don’t know if this once healthy father, who was trying to be healthy and jogging, can do the things he should be able to do as a now injured man. Broken bones can be set, but depending on the severity can cause lack of or limited mobility forever more.


David Crosby should be in jail, and have a permanently revoked license. He can keep his liver, he has probably ruined that one too! Asshole.


He will still drive a Nash when he is Young.


Wasn’t tested for alcohol or drugs? How is that? Sounds strange to me.


celebrity + police special treatment = no drug test


Sounds like special treatment to me.


“broken leg, a broken arm, a broken shoulder, broken ribs and a damaged kidney”


I’d be willing to endure that kind of pain for $3 million.


Look into just selling one of you kidneys. Later you may be able to sell some other parts, you’d be surprised how much can be cut off and still have a great quality of life + money.


Look at the Black Knight in Monty Pyton.


Fast tracked for a liver transplant and still learned nothing; but hey it’s only rock and roll


Right on McKiernan. Everyone hates an injury attorney until your body is shattered by some a-hole who shouldn’t be driving. The story of James McKiernan speaks volumes to the celebrity privilege of our society; sex tapes are cool, pedophile is tolerated, murderers are acquitted, livers are purchased away from those who don’t abuse their body, and a politician’s son has his murder sentence commuted by Schwarzenegger as a personal favor.


CONGRATS TO CAL COAST NEWS for getting a mention in TMZ for this story!!!


http://m.tmz.com/#article/2016/06/20/david-crosby-hit-jogger-settlement-lawsuit/


How much of that 3 mil did the lawyer get?


Maybe Phil Collins will reconsider and ask Crosby to return the liver. It’s not really his anyways.