PEORIA, Ill. – The family of a Dunlap teen killed in a car crash has settled a lawsuit with the other driver.
In May 2024, 18-year-old Dunlap High School Senior Nevaeh Mitchell was killed in a head-on collision.
She was traveling on N. Orange Prairie Road in Peoria when an oncoming driver entered the wrong lane and their vehicles hit head-on.
Mitchell’s estate settled a civil suit with driver Levi Dietz out of court for $300,000.
“We fought hard for every dollar we could attain, and every dollar that Illinois law would allow us to get,” Shaun Cusack, the attorney who represented Mitchell’s family, tells 25 News.
Records from the 10th Circuit Court show that one-third of the settlement will go to attorneys’ fees, Mitchell’s parents will split most of what remains, with a small portion going to each of Mitchell’s three siblings.
“The amount of money that is recovered will never bring Nevaeh back. That’s the issue. A great family has lost a loved one with an amazingly bright future,” Cusack said.
Mitchell was two weeks away from graduation when she was killed.
Now that the settlement has been reached, the civil suit against 26-year-old Dietz is closed.
Dietz pleaded guilty in Peoria County criminal court in November. He was sentenced to 100 hours of community service and fined over $1,000.
Mitchell’s family still has the option to seek damages against other parties that could be held responsible for her death.
“We have looked and are continuing to just absolutely dig in to see and to make sure that everybody that may or may not be culpable in this situation, any lawsuit against them is explored,” Cusack said.
Comments