A settlement agreement has been finalized, officially ending a lawsuit filed against a former Fowlerville police officer connected to a fatal motorcycle accident.

Former Fowlerville Police Officer Frederick Miller was being sued by Mary Stamm on behalf of the estate of her son who died after his motorcycle crashed into Miller’s vehicle during a high speed chase. A monetary settlement between the parties was reached last September, although the terms of the agreement were not released. Court records show that a finalized agreement has been entered, and while the financial terms remain sealed, the settlement will be shared between his parents and brother.

The incident that spawned the lawsuit began in the early morning hours of May 17th, 2011 on westbound I-96 when police say 20-year-old Carl Albert Stamm IV failed to pull over for speeding. Video from patrol cars indicated he was traveling at approximately 126 mph when he crashed into the back of Miller’s patrol car.

The settlement agreement followed a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court last year to decline to hear an appeal by Miller, which was filed after a ruling by the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that determined there were disputes of material fact regarding whether Miller intended to block Stamm and whether Stamm’s conduct posed an immediate threat to others. The appeals court said because the evidence was such that a jury could return a verdict in Mrs. Stamm’s favor, the lawsuit against him could continue, denying his contention that he was immune from liability because he was acting in his role as a police officer. (JK)