Settlements approved by the city government continue to add up, with the Augusta Commission approving more than $1.2 million in payments to employees or individuals allegedly harmed by them Tuesday.
The largest settlement was with the family of Ashley Irvin, who was killed last November in a wreck involving a sheriff’s deputy.
The commission approved a $500,000 settlement for Irvin’s children in a claim brought by their guardian. Irvin was killed when a suspect ran a red light on Gordon Highway and struck her vehicle.
The suspect was being pursued by Richmond County Sheriff’s Deputy Dontavion Jones for using a cell phone while driving, according to the settlement.
The commission approved spending up to $600,000 on a worker’s compensation claim brought by landfill employee Ollie Jones, with the expectation $125,000 would be reimbursed by the city’s excess claims insurer.
The claim arose from Jones sustaining a puncture wound at the landfill in August 2020.
Other settlements approved Tuesday included $75,000 for Kathey Sheppard, the school custodian who sued the sheriff’s office for wrongful arrest and excessive use of force.
Sheppard alleged she was violently detained at Olmstead Homes and charged with obstruction by Deputy Richard Russell.
The commission agreed to a $34,321 payout to USAA for a 2021 wreck on River Watch Parkway.
Chantell Thomas, USAA’s insured party, was driving on River Watch when Deputy Cordero Foster ran a red light at 15th Street and totaled her vehicle.
The commission approved paying $30,000 to Timothy Fulton, a former deputy director for Augusta Parks and Recreation.
Fulton filed a complaint with the Augusta Compliance Office last year that Recreation Director Maurice McDowell was driving veteran managers, all of them white, from the department while assigning their duties to new unqualified staff.
In return, interim EEO Director Yolanda Jackson recommended Fulton be suspended for five days for “falsifying government documents.”
Fulton resigned and said he was “marched out” of his office by law enforcement.
Sewer backups, injuries lead to settlements
The Tuesday payouts are the largest batch of settlements the commission has approved this year, but there have been a handful of others.
In July, the commission OK’d a $105,969 settlement with Thedrick Collins for a sewer backup at his house on Drayton Drive.
The commission approved a $90,000 settlement in May with Linda McQueen, who sustained back and neck injuries in a 2021 wreck with Deputy Elvin Thompson Jr.
Thompson turned into McQueen’s vehicle while making a left onto Heard Avenue from Central Avenue, according to the settlement.
In April, the commission approved a $30,000 worker’s compensation claim with Bettye Wells, who injured her shoulder while working at Augusta Regional Airport.
In February, the commission approved paying a $450,000 court judgment to Rodriguez Bostic, who was injured in a 2013 wreck with Deputy Thomas King on Peach Orchard Road.
Also in February, the commission approved a $45,000 worker’s compensation claim with Larry Hodson, who injured his back while working for Augusta Fire Department.
