LOS ANGELES — L.A. city officials have reached a settlement with two newspaper delivery women wounded by LAPD officers during the pursuit of Christopher Dorner that will provide them with money to replace their bullet-ridden truck.
The move comes several weeks after the women were promised a new truck — and two days after they publicly complained through their attorney that they had not received a new vehicle.
City Atty. Carmen Trutanich will hold a news conference Thursday afternoon to announce the deal.
Sources said the women would be given an undisclosed amount of money, enough to purchase a new truck.
LAPD Chief Charlie Beck pledged to provide the truck to Margie Carranza, 47, and her mother, Emma Hernandez, 71, who were delivering newspapers in Torrance on Feb. 7 when LAPD officers riddled their blue Toyota Tacoma with bullets. Dorner was believed to be driving a gray Nissan Titan.
Hernandez was shot twice in the back, and Carranza was injured by broken glass.
Beck called the shooting “a tragic misinterpretation” by officers working under “incredible tension” hours after Dorner allegedly shot police officers.
He promised to provide a truck from a donor regardless of potential litigation by the women.
Officials stressed that this deal was to compensate the women for the loss of the truck and is separate from any discussions regarding potential litigation involving the LAPD shooting incident in Torrance.
Earlier this week, Glen Jonas, the women’s attorney, complained the women still had not received the truck.
The sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the case was on going, said negotiations have been under way for several days. They did not reveal the amount but said it was enough to purchase a new truck.
Jonas said this week the women were first offered a used truck, then a non-four-wheel-drive Ford to replace their four-wheel-drive Toyota. The women also had to agree not to sell it for a year. His clients agreed to that truck, he said.
But then the dealership and LAPD officials said the truck would be considered a prize for tax purposes, Jonas said. “Essentially, they’d have to pay taxes like they won it on a game show.”
Jonas said the situation is all the more difficult because the women haven’t been able to work since being injured.
LAPD Cmdr. Andrew Smith said the department, working with a car dealership, was able to secure a new truck for the women and even covered the taxes and fees.
But, he said, the dealership has advised that the vehicle must be legally declared for tax purposes. “We are trying to work it out,” Smith said.
The seven officers involved in the incident are assigned to desk duty during an internal investigation into the shooting, which also left holes in several homes on the cul-de-sac.
The officers were protecting the home of a high-ranking LAPD official named in a threatening manifesto authorities said to have been written by Dorner, and they believed that official could have been a potential target.
Dorner at the time had already killed the daughter of an LAPD captain and her fiance — a USC police officer — and a Riverside police officer, officials said.
-Los Angeles Times
32 Comments to “Women Shot in Dorner Search Get $40K for New Truck”
March 11, 2013 at 6:29 PM
Apparently you don't like critism of LAPD even when they shoot innocent people!
March 11, 2013 at 7:52 PM
C'mon Charlie…step up.
March 12, 2013 at 6:14 AM
These ladies got the right lawyer…feisty dude.
March 12, 2013 at 6:48 AM
Shame is upon the LAPD
March 12, 2013 at 6:48 AM
This sites moderators stink.
March 12, 2013 at 7:19 AM
Machine guns for cops
March 12, 2013 at 7:20 AM
LAPD
March 12, 2013 at 7:21 AM
Not
March 12, 2013 at 7:21 AM
In
March 12, 2013 at 7:21 AM
My
March 12, 2013 at 7:21 AM
Neighborhood
March 12, 2013 at 8:08 AM
Typical cheats. They didn't pay the reward either.
March 12, 2013 at 8:48 AM
The reward was for the capture and conviction…..why should they pay it?
March 12, 2013 at 9:22 AM
What about the guy the Torrance PD tried to kill?
March 12, 2013 at 2:47 PM
LAPD has some real issues!
March 12, 2013 at 5:51 PM
Help
March 12, 2013 at 5:51 PM
My
March 12, 2013 at 5:52 PM
posts
March 12, 2013 at 5:52 PM
are
March 12, 2013 at 5:52 PM
deleted
March 12, 2013 at 5:52 PM
by
March 12, 2013 at 5:52 PM
the
March 12, 2013 at 5:52 PM
adminsitrator
March 12, 2013 at 5:53 PM
right
March 12, 2013 at 5:53 PM
after
March 12, 2013 at 5:53 PM
why????
March 12, 2013 at 6:01 PM
Looks like your comments are still there — I can see them!
March 14, 2013 at 9:32 PM
$40K? Try $40 Mil
March 15, 2013 at 6:58 AM
40,000??? That's all?? I hope the pay up on all the medical bills too…
March 15, 2013 at 7:14 AM
That's just for loss of property. They'll get millions from their lawsuit.
March 15, 2013 at 7:24 AM
Ahhh Got it, Thanks
March 15, 2013 at 8:07 AM
No amount of money will ever right the wrongs.