Trial Magazine

Jacob Hourmouzus, a 17-year-old high school student, attempted to rescue a dog that had jumped into an irrigation canal under a metal footbridge on private property. As he and the dog began to be swept away, Hourmouzus grabbed onto the bridge, which was electrically energized with 240 volts of power. Hourmouzus suffered an electrical shock. He was taken to a hospital for treatment but later died. He is survived by his parents.

Hourmouzus’s parents sued Solano Irrigation District, a public utility, alleging negligence for its failure to properly ground the metal footbridge, which caused the bridge to become electrically energized. Suit also alleged that the defendant should have placed private property signs on the bridge to warn of its danger.

The defense argued that the condition that caused the bridge to become energized was unknown.

The parties settled for $7 million.

Citation: Carrillo v. Solano Irrigation Dist., No. FCS053099 (Cal. Super. Ct. Solano Cty. Dec. 6, 2019).

Plaintiff counsel: AAJ member Daniel Wilcoxen, Sacramento, Calif.