Marlene Pinnock, Woman Beaten by California Highway Patrolman, Settles for $1.5 Million

Marlene Pinnock, the 51-year-old woman punched repeatedly by California Highway Patrol officer Daniel Andrew on the side of a freeway in an incident caught on video, will receive $1.5 million under a settlement reached Wednesday night, and the officer has agreed to resign.

On July 1, a passing driver captured video of Pinnock being repeatedly pummeled by Andrew, and she filed suit in August.



The Associated Press reports that Pinnock and the CHP reached an agreement after a lengthy mediation.

"When this incident occurred, I promised that I would look into it and vowed a swift resolution," CHP Commissioner John Farrow said in a statement. "Today, we have worked constructively to reach a settlement agreement that is satisfactory to all parties involved."

The statement said that Officer Andrew, who joined the CHP in 2012 and has been on paid administrative leave since the incident, "has elected to resign."

Andrew could still be charged criminally in the case. The CHP forwarded the results of its investigation of the incident to Los Angeles County prosecutors last month, saying he could face serious charges but none have been filed yet.

The bulk of the settlement will take the form of a special needs trust for Pinnock, the CHP said.

Pinnock's attorney Caree Harper said the settlement fulfilled the two elements her side was looking for.

"One of the things we wanted to make sure of was that she was provided for in a manner that accommodated her unique situation in life," Harper said, "and that the officer was not going to be an officer anymore and we secured those things."