Supreme court to decide if Austintown cop can proceed with suit against Ford

COLUMBUS

The state’s high court will determine if an Austintown officer can move forward with legal proceedings against Ford Motor Co. after a crash-induced fire that caused him significant burns.

The Ohio Supreme Court must decide whether to side with an appeals court decision and remand the case to a trial court for further consideration or with the trial court, which favored the automaker.

Tuesday’s oral arguments focused on the November 2007 accident in which a 1995 Cadillac DeVille, driven by Adrien Foutz at a speed of about 100 mph, slammed into the back of Austintown police Officer Ross Linert’s 2005 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, moving at a speed of about 35 mph along North Meridian Road near Interstate 680, according to court filings.

Foutz “did not brake or swerve before striking Mr. Linert’s vehicle and admitted responsibility for the accident,” according to documents.

Linert suffered severe burns, with 60 percent to 70 percent of his skin injured from an “intense gasoline-fed fire,” according to documents. The collision also broke his ribs.

Linert later filed suit against Ford Motor Co., alleging the cruiser was defective and the company failed to provide warning of potential fuel-system defects.

Ford countered that its cruisers hold high safety ratings, with “the most rigorous” impact-crash-testing program in the world.

A Mahoning County jury sided with Ford.

Read more about the case in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.