Clifton woman settles for $4.2 million in crash that killed 1-year-old daughter – NorthJersey.com

A Clifton woman agreed to a $4.2 million settlement against a dump truck driver from Sussex County and his company over an alleged drug-fueled crash on Route 3 that killed her infant daughter and left her seriously injured, her lawyer said.

Jamie Yarrish, 26, was driving westbound near the Broad Street exit on Aug. 25, 2020 and had come to a complete stop when a black Mack dump truck, driven by Chad Hines, 41, of Wantage, slammed into her Honda Civic from behind, according to court records. A child seat with Yarrish’s 1-year-old daughter, Jaelynn Acevedo-Yarrish, inside wound up in front of the car, which collapsed due to the impact, according to Evan Goldman, Yarrish’s attorney.

Jaelynn suffered massive head injuries and was kept alive for four days so that her organs could be donated, Goldman said. She died on Aug. 29. 

“Jamie and her family wanted Jaelynn to have a legacy so that is why they made the decision to donate her organs, so that others could benefit,” Goldman said.

Yarrish suffered various broken vertebrae in her back and broken ribs. She also had a brain bleed and blood in her lungs, according to court records. As a result, Yarrish was out of work for nearly a year and continues to receive physical therapy and psychotherapy, Goldman said.

Hines and the owners of Sanzari Asphalt Maintenance Services out of Woodland Park, owner of the dump truck, were sued by Yarrish in December 2020 in Essex County Superior Court. The settlement was reached through mediation with Judge John Keefe, a retired presiding judge of the Appellate Division of the New Jersey Superior Court, on June 29.

Anthony Guidice, the attorney representing Hines and Sanzari, declined to discuss the settlement, only writing via email: “We thank Judge Keefe for his tremendous effort in getting the matter resolved as the mediator.”

Hines was arrested and charged in December and indicted by a grand jury for aggravated manslaughter, death by auto, strict liability vehicular homicide and assault by auto, according to the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office. 

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Hines’ blood tested positive for morphine, six Xanax pills, fentanyl and cocaine following the crash, according to court records. Police stated it was “reasonably scientifically certain” Hines was a recent user of the drugs and under the psychoactive effects rendering him unfit to drive safely.

Yarrish in the lawsuit pointed to Hines’ alleged history with drugs and alcohol, with several convictions for driving while intoxicated. He admitted in 2015 to possessing heroin in Sussex County, according to a prior news article. Hines was indicted in April for unrelated charges in Sussex County and is facing charges in Morris County.

Yarrish said despite Hines’ record, he “somehow had a CDL license and the defendant, Sanzari Asphalt Maintenance LLC, hired him to drive commercial trucks and other equipment.”

Hines’ charges in Passaic are still pending with his next hearing on Sept. 13.

Yarrish brought claims for bystander trauma, lost wages, pain and suffering and emotional distress. 

Yarrish was speaking to her friend on a hands-free phone at the time of the crash. Her friend reported after the crash she heard Yarrish and the child crying and heard both of them moaning, Goldman said.

Part of the settlement will be placed into a structure which, when paid, will result in a settlement of almost $6 million. There was $2 million in coverage with the primary carrier, United Fire Insurance Group, and $4 million in excess coverage with Markel Insurance. Goldman said it was resolved quickly by all parties “due to the tragic nature of the case.”

But no amount of money could ever compensate for the loss of a child, Goldman added.

“Ms. Yarrish will have to live with this for the rest of her life,” he said. “The only thing that money will do is to prevent Jamie from ever having to worry about finances for the rest of her life, recognizing that this is small consolation for what she has lost.”

Lori Comstock can also be reached on Twitter: @LoriComstockNJH, on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/LoriComstockNJH or by phone: 973-383-1194.