Ohio Jury Rules for Ford in Case of Burned Officer

A jury in Ohio has ruled in favor of Ford Motor Co. in the lawsuit of a former patrol officer severely burned in a crash in one of the automaker’s police cruisers.

The Vindicator of Youngstown reports the Mahoning County jury reached its verdict Tuesday, denying former Austintown officer Ross Linert’s request for monetary damages. Linert was injured in 2007 when prosecutors say a drunken woman drove into the cruiser at more than 90 mph. He argued that cruiser defects led to the burns.

Ford attorney James Feeney tells the newspaper the verdict shows the Crown Victoria cruiser design is safe.

Linert’s lawyer, Bradley Lakin, says an immediate decision had not been made on whether to appeal.

Adrien Foutz of Girard was sentenced in 2008 to two years in prison for the crash.