A Washington state family will receive a $30 million settlement after their 13-year-old son was killed in a crosswalk crash in 2022.
An attorney for the family of middle school student Michael Weilert confirmed to the Seattle Times, the Tacoma News Tribune and MyNorthwest.com that the lawsuit — filed in Pierce County Superior Court in 2023 — was resolved on Nov. 7.
Michael was about to cross Highway 7 with a friend near his home in July 2022 when he pressed the button on a flashing beacon designed to alert drivers that a pedestrian would be using the crosswalk, according to the family’s legal complaint cited by the outlets.
The crossing signal for the first lane activated, and a pickup truck came to a stop. Michael then rode his bicycle into the crosswalk, with his friend behind him. However, the signal for the next lane was defective and did not activate. An oncoming Jeep struck Michael, killing him. The driver was not criminally charged but was later named as a defendant in the civil case.
According to the News Tribune, the settlement is believed to be the largest ever reached with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), and potentially the biggest wrongful death settlement in state history involving a minor. A court-appointed representative acting on behalf of two of Michael’s siblings shared that characterization in a statement.
Michael’s four siblings and his parents were the six beneficiaries in the lawsuit, which was brought by his parents and aunt, per the News Tribune.
In their complaint, the Weilert family alleged that WSDOT knew the crosswalk device was malfunctioning for several weeks before the fatal crash and failed to fix it or shut it down.
The court filing also stated that the Jeep’s driver will pay $50,000 through her auto insurance as part of the settlement, according to the News Tribune.
The family further argued that the lack of signage warning pedestrians that the crosswalk signal was out of order contributed to Michael’s death.
“I think, in a way, [the settlement] helps provide some closure for the Weilert family,” the family’s attorney, Evan Bariault, told the News Tribune in an interview on Friday, Nov. 28. “The case was never really about money. The case has really been more about creating change, especially in Parkland.”
The lawsuit also claimed that, at the time of Michael’s death, five of the 11 crosswalks along that stretch of Highway 7 had broken or missing crossing lights.
“The family is grateful that the legal process has come to a close, but no settlement — no matter how significant — can ever fill the space left by Michael’s absence,” Bariault told the Seattle Times. “His life was precious, and the impact of losing him is something the Weilerts continue to carry every day.”
Bariault added that the family hopes the settlement “serves as a step toward accountability and meaningful change so no other family must endure what the Weilerts endured.”
In a statement, WSDOT spokesperson Cara Mitchell said that “one tragic incident like this is one too many.”
“While the state has reached a settlement with the family, we recognize that the loss of Michael Weilert was devastating for the family, friends and the community,” Mitchell said. “WSDOT continues to work with communities and partners toward our state’s Target Zero goals.”
Target Zero is Washington’s initiative to eliminate all traffic deaths and serious injuries on state roads by 2030. While data shows that road fatalities in the state decreased by 9.6% in 2024, the annual number of traffic deaths in the 2020s has still remained higher than in the previous decade, according to the Seattle Times.
