Case Background
Joscelyn Reid and her son Ezekiel Reid, a minor, filed a wrongful death and personal injury complaint against the Colusa County Office of Education and Raul Rivera on January 31, 2024, in the Superior Court of California, County of Colusa, Case No. CV24729. The complaint arose out of an automobile collision that occurred on May 10, 2023, at or near the intersection of State Route 20 and Husted Road in Williams, California, in which Raul Rivera, driving a vehicle owned by the Colusa County Office of Education, struck and killed the Plaintiffs' father, Justin Reid. Rivera was acting within the course and scope of his employment with the Colusa County Office of Education at the time.
The Defendants removed the case to the United States District Court, Eastern District of California, on May 1, 2024, on the basis of diversity jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. §§ 1332 and 1441(b). The Notice of Removal stated that Joscelyn Reid is a Nevada resident, and that Ezekiel Reid and his guardian ad litem, Aja Moody, are Colorado residents, while the Colusa County Office of Education is a California public entity and Raul Rivera is a California resident. Defense counsel represented that Plaintiffs' counsel had confirmed both the parties' citizenship and that the amount in controversy exceeded $75,000.
The Plaintiffs later amended their complaint on June 13, 2024, adding an allegation that the Colusa County Office of Education was liable for Rivera's negligence under California Government Code section 815.2(a) and California Vehicle Code section 17001. The Defendants filed their Answer on July 25, 2024, pursuant to the Court's July 3, 2024 order on their motion to dismiss.
Cause
The Plaintiffs brought two causes of action. The first cause of action, for motor vehicle negligence, alleged that Rivera's negligent driving proximately caused Justin Reid's death. The second cause of action, for general negligence, alleged that the collision caused Justin Reid's death and that the Colusa County Office of Education had negligently hired, trained, supervised, and retained Rivera. The Defendants denied both causes of action in their Answer.
Injury
The original complaint sought wrongful death damages on behalf of Justin Reid's survivors, Joscelyn Reid and Ezekiel Reid. The complaint itemized these damages as the financial support Justin Reid would have contributed to the Plaintiffs over his life expectancy, the loss of gifts or benefits the Plaintiffs would have expected to receive from him, funeral and burial expenses, the value of household services he would have provided, and the loss of his love, companionship, comfort, care, assistance, protection, affection, society, moral support, and training and guidance.
Key Arguments and Proceedings
Legal Representation
Plaintiff(s): Joscelyn Reid and Ezekiel Reid, a minor, by Aja Moody, his guardian ad litem
· Counsel for Plaintiff(s): Russell L. Goodrow | Tom Paoli
Defendant(s): Colusa County Office of Education and Raul Rivera
· Counsel for Defendant(s): John P. Cotter | Anthony Robert Rossmiller
Key Arguments or Remarks by Counsel
Claims
Motor Vehicle Claim
The Plaintiffs alleged that the collision occurred on May 10, 2023, at or near the intersection of State Route 20 and Husted Road in Williams, California, and that Rivera's negligent driving proximately caused Justin Reid's death. They alleged that Rivera operated a vehicle owned by the Colusa County Office of Education, that the office had entrusted the vehicle to him, and that he was acting within the course and scope of his employment at the time. Through the amendment filed June 13, 2024, the Plaintiffs specifically alleged that the Colusa County Office of Education was liable for Rivera's negligence under California Government Code section 815.2(a) and California Vehicle Code section 17001.
General Negligence Claim
The Plaintiffs also alleged that the Defendants' negligent driving caused Justin Reid's death, and separately alleged that the Colusa County Office of Education negligently hired, trained, supervised, and retained Rivera. The Defendants denied this claim in full at Paragraph GN-1 of their Answer.
Defense
In the Answer, the Defendants admitted several factual matters while denying liability. They admitted that the incident occurred on the stated date near the stated location. They admitted that Rivera operated the vehicle, that he was employed by the Colusa County Office of Education, that he was acting within the course and scope of that employment, that the office owned the vehicle, and that the office had entrusted the vehicle to him. They denied the general negligence claim, including the negligent hiring and supervision allegations, and denied the allegations added through the amendment to the complaint.
The Defendants raised numerous affirmative defenses. They argued that Justin Reid had been negligent and that his negligence should be imputed to the Plaintiffs to reduce any recovery. They argued that any damages resulted in part from the negligence of other parties, requiring apportionment under California Civil Code sections 1431 and 1432. They argued that any damages sustained resulted from independent, superseding actions of Justin Reid or other persons. They argued that the Plaintiffs failed to mitigate their damages. They raised the statute of limitations under California Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. They argued that the complaint failed to state a sufficient cause of action. They raised misjoinder of parties under California Code of Civil Procedure section 377.60, arguing that some named Plaintiffs were not proper parties, and separately argued that the Plaintiffs had failed to name all proper Plaintiffs in the wrongful death action. They argued that Justin Reid had been injured in the course and scope of his own employment and that his employer's negligence contributed to the damages, which would reduce recovery under Witt v. Jackson (1961) 57 Cal.2d 57, 72. They argued that the complaint exceeded the scope of the underlying California Government Code claim that had been filed. Finally, they claimed immunity under California Government Code sections 815, 815.2, 815.6, 818.6, 820, 820.2, 820.8, and 820.9.
The Defendants asked the Court to rule that the Plaintiffs take nothing from the complaint, that the complaint and each cause of action be dismissed, and that the Defendants recover costs of suit, including attorney's fees.
Jury Verdict
The case proceeded to a jury trial before Senior United States District Judge John A. Mendez, with trial beginning July 6, 2026. The jury reached its verdict on July 9, 2026, finding in favor of the Plaintiffs. The verdict form, captioned "Joscelyn Reid and Ezekiel Reid," recorded noneconomic damages totaling $325,000 for the wrongful death of Justin Reid. This amount was broken into $215,000 for the loss of Justin Reid's love, companionship, comfort, care, assistance, protection, society, and moral support, and his training and guidance, covering the period from May 10, 2023, through the verdict date, and $110,000 for the same categories of loss extending from the verdict date forward. The verdict form's foreperson signed and dated the form July 9, 2026.
Following the verdict, the parties met and conferred through counsel and agreed to apportion the total judgment equally between the two Plaintiffs. On July 13, 2026, the parties filed a stipulation reflecting this agreement, and Judge Mendez signed the accompanying judgment and order the same day. The judgment states that it was entered in accordance with the jury verdict rendered July 9, 2026, and it incorporates the parties' stipulation. Under the judgment, the total award of $325,000 was apportioned equally, with 50 percent, or $162,500, allocated to Joscelyn Reid, and 50 percent, or $162,500, allocated to Ezekiel Reid.
Court documents are available upon request at [email protected]
