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House Bill 2001



    Florida House of Representatives - 1997                HB 2001

        By Representative Chestnut






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to Columbia County; providing

  3         for the relief of Runette J. Bass; providing

  4         for an appropriation to compensate her for

  5         injuries and damages sustained as a result of

  6         the actions of the Sheriff of Columbia County;

  7         providing an effective date.

  8

  9         WHEREAS, on November 27, 1992, Runette J. Bass was

10  lawfully operating her automobile when she was struck by a

11  vehicle being pursued by a Columbia County Sheriff's Deputy,

12  and

13         WHEREAS, the deputy that was in pursuit violated the

14  internal policy of the Columbia County Sheriff's Office

15  relating to pursuit of fleeing vehicles, and

16         WHEREAS, as a result of the accident, Runette J. Bass

17  sustained catastrophic injuries and was immediately flown to

18  the hospital where she was initially listed in critical

19  condition, and

20         WHEREAS, Runette J. Bass sustained numerous injuries

21  which included an open fracture across her forehead and into

22  her sinus cavity, burns to her face and left side of her body,

23  internal injuries that resulted in surgery to remove her

24  spleen, fractures of the pelvis in two places, a crushed left

25  hand which required three resulting surgeries to repair the

26  injuries to her hand and subsequent physical therapy, severe

27  laceration and loss of tissue of her left hand and subsequent

28  skin grafts, severe and permanent injury to her right eye and

29  a subsequent traumatic cataract, and surgery to remove the

30  cataract, and

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 1997                HB 2001

    52-156-97






  1         WHEREAS, Runette J. Bass has sustained horrible injury,

  2  pain, and physical disfigurement, and has incurred medical

  3  expenses of $133,897.04 as of February 20, 1997, with future

  4  medical expenses expected to exceed $100,000, and

  5         WHEREAS, the accident in which Runette J. Bass

  6  sustained the above-mentioned injuries formed the basis of

  7  legal action against the Sheriff of Columbia County, and

  8         WHEREAS, the court found beyond and to the exclusion of

  9  reasonable doubt that Columbia County Sheriff's Office

10  personnel intentionally altered its videotape of the pursuit,

11  and

12         WHEREAS, the court found the actions of the Columbia

13  County Sheriff's Office to be so egregious that it struck the

14  Sheriff's affirmative defenses and his answer to the

15  complaint, and entered a default judgment against the Columbia

16  County Sheriff's Office, and

17         WHEREAS, the Sheriff of Columbia County then appealed

18  the ruling to the First District Court of Appeal, and

19         WHEREAS, the district court of appeal upheld the trial

20  court's ruling, and

21         WHEREAS, the Sheriff of Columbia County then appealed

22  to the Florida Supreme Court, which declined to hear the case,

23  and

24         WHEREAS, after a week-long trial, the jury reached a

25  verdict of $2,953,873.64 in favor of Runette J. Bass, and

26         WHEREAS, the Columbia County Sheriff's Office has an

27  insurance policy through the Florida Sheriff's Self-Insurance

28  Fund with a policy limit of $2,100,000, and

29         WHEREAS, Runette J. Bass's injuries and disfigurement

30  were horrific and permanent and she has been relegated to a

31  life of pain, humiliation, and emotional anguish, and

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 1997                HB 2001

    52-156-97






  1         WHEREAS, Runette J. Bass will have to continue to

  2  receive medical treatment for her injuries throughout the

  3  remainder of her life, NOW, THEREFORE,

  4

  5  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

  6

  7         Section 1.  The facts stated in the preamble of this

  8  act are found and declared to be true.

  9         Section 2.  The Sheriff of Columbia County is

10  authorized and directed to appropriate from funds of the

11  county not otherwise appropriated and to draw a warrant in the

12  sum of $2,953,873.64 payable to Runette J. Bass to compensate

13  her for injuries and damages sustained.

14         Section 3.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

15  law.

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