The San Diego City Council passed a $2.95 million settlement agreement Tuesday to pay the family of Hossein Samadi, who fatally struck a city truck more than three years ago.
Samadi, 42, was cycling with a friend on Carmel Valley Road on Sept. 25, 2020, when he hit a city truck that was parked in a bike lane without proper warning and signage, according to James Frantz, the attorney for the Samadi family.
“Unbeknownst to him, a city of San Diego truck illegally parked in the bike lane without putting any warning signs out whatsoever, no flag person there, no cones, no blinking lights, nothing,” Frantz said.
The injuries Samadi absorbed were deadly.
“He was killed instantly, with severe brain damage hitting the back end of that truck,” Frantz said. “It was horrible and this has been a nightmare of nightmares for the family.”
Frantz said his firm was prepared to go to trial before the city agreed to the general terms of a settlement.
“This is not justice for the Samadis,” Frantz said. “The city of San Diego is paying $2.95 million. Nothing would be better than to bring him back. The money doesn’t do it, but the silver lining here is the people of San Diego and the city of San Diego need to know they cannot have this kind of dangerous misconduct take place anymore.”
Now that the city council passed the consent item, it will head to Mayor Todd Gloria’s desk.
