A tentative settlement for $250,000 has been reached in a lawsuit that alleges a San Francisco firefighter was wrongly blamed for the death of a passenger in a 2013 airplane crash.
Attorneys said Firefighter Elyse Duckett became a “sacrificial lamb” for the San Francisco Fire Department after Ye Meng Yuan, 16, was run over by two fire apparatus at the July 6, 2013 Asiana Airlines crash, according to the San Francisco Examiner.
Investigators later determined that Yuan, who was ejected when the plane hit the seawall, was covered by foam and run over by two fire apparatus responding to the crash and fire of Asiana Flight 214 at San Francisco International Airport.
Attorney said the fire department leaked Duckett's name in retaliation for being outspoken against discrimination and harassment in the department.
“As questions about SFFD leadership and training intensified, the brass attempted to shift blame and scapegoat an individual firefighter to minimize and downplay broader failures within the SFFD,” the attorneys said in the lawsuit.
In a court filing, Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White said she did not know who gave Duckett's name to the media. The chief was also unaware of previous discrimination against Duckett.
“While The City has sound arguments and defenses in this matter, we believe this is a reasonable and prudent settlement given the facts, the legal claims and the inherent uncertainty of litigation,” City Attorney’s Office spokesman John Cote said.
