Ford Loses $290 Million Appeal

July 1, 2002 The AP reported that the Ford Motor Co. has lost its appeal of a $290-million verdict handed down in a 1999 California case involving the deaths of three people riding in a Ford Bronco.

The opinion was released Friday by the California Court of Appeals Fifth Appellate District in Fresno, Calif.

According to court records, three members of the Romo family were killed in 1993 when the 1978 Ford Bronco they bought used rolled over after an accident near Ceres, Calif., outside Modesto.

The Bronco had a roof that was partially steel and partially fiberglass. As the vehicle rolled, the steel roof collapsed, killing Ramon Romo, the passenger in the front seat. The fiberglass roof broke loose, striking and killing Ramon Romo's wife, Salustia Romo, and his child, Ramiro Romo.

Two other children were thrown from the Bronco and injured. The driver, Ramon's son, Juan Romo, also was injured.

Ford not only lost its appeal of the judgment, but the court also overturned a lower court's ruling granting the automaker a new trial on punitive damages because of alleged juror misconduct.

The automaker said one juror was influenced by a television show and another said she had a dream that a Ford Bronco rolled over, killing her children and the children of the other jurors.

The court said there was no indication the jury did not follow instructions or was unduly influenced.

"The Court of Appeals' decision is patently wrong and does a grave injustice to Ford," the automaker said in a statement from its Dearborn headquarters.

Joe Carcione, a Redwood City, Calif., attorney who represented the Romo family, said he was pleased that the court held Ford responsible for "designing a vehicle that they knew would crush flat as pancake in a rollover."

"The three people who were killed in this vehicle were in their seat belts," he said. "The two little girls in the back of the truck who weren't in seat belts lived, because they were thrown clear. We proved the most dangerous thing you can do in a Bronco is wear your seat belt, because you'll be killed."

Ford attorney Ted Boutrous said the automaker planned to appeal Friday's rulings.