Settlement Reached in Virginia Teens’ Train Death

A lawsuit against Norfolk Southern that was headed to trial Monday has been settled with the families of two teenagers who were struck and killed by a train in Montgomery County.

An attorney for Norfolk Southern told The Roanoke Times on Friday the settlement has been reached in the multimillion-dollar lawsuit. The attorney, Matthew Pritts, did not disclose the settlement’s details.

The settlement stems from the deaths of 16-year-old Steve Robertson and 17-year-old Grayson Hoops. The high school juniors were killed in February 2011 as they walked on a railroad trestle across the south form of the Roanoke River near Elliston.

Their families’ lawsuits against Norfolk Southern Railway Co. and Norfolk Southern Corp. were consolidated. They alleged negligence.

Each sought a judgment of $10 million, plus punitive damages.