Monterey County jury awards $19m after van hits woman in Point Lobos

She was caught in the crosswalk when a van plowed her down, now she’s speaking out after a jury awarded her a massive payout.

A Monterey County jury decided on a $19 million sum for injuries Helen Anthony sustained when she was run over by a state parks volunteer at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve in June 2023.

The Rhode Island woman was thankful for the ruling, saying she was “appreciative of the jury who took a month of their time to hear all the evidence,” according to KSWB.

Video of the incident shows the driver, a state park volunteer, crashing into the woman in the middle of the road. The 82-year-old behind the wheel accidentally pressed on the gas instead of the brakes.

“This was just unbelievable. Not only that, the state actually threatened us with a letter, threatened us by letter, saying that if we brought this frivolous suit against the state, they were going to sue us for costs. I mean, it’s just unbelievable,” she told KSWB.

Anthony’s attorneys argued that the volunteer was the responsibility of the state as they were driving a park’s vehicle, and were not properly trained.

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Ultimately after a month-long trial and a day and a half of deliberations, the civil jury sided with Anthony, awarding her nearly $19 million for pain, suffering, and loss of wages.

Anthony was a councilwoman and attorney in Rhode Island at the time of the accident. She claimed her injuries from the incident kept her from performing her duties.

California State Parks issued a statement obtained by KSWB saying, “California State Parks respects the jury’s decision and expresses its sincere and deepest sympathy to Helen Anthony and her family for the injuries she suffered at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve.”

The parks department is considering an appeal to the $18.9 million judgment.