Man Injured by Boat Awarded $6.6 Million
From Times Staff and Wire Reports
Jurors awarded more than $6 million to an aspiring stuntman and actor who suffered brain damage when he was run over by a powerboat while spearfishing.
Joel Roberts was fishing at Bird Rock reef about 1,600 feet offshore on Aug. 10, 2002, when a powerboat driven by Riverside businessman Darin Council struck him. His attorney, Kevin Quinn, said the accident left Roberts, 30, with balance and speech problems and an inability to process new information.
After nearly a week’s deliberation, Superior Court jurors voted Monday to award him $6,687,192.
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