Church Held Liable For Negligent Supervision of Youth Minister In Traffic Accident

The Louisville Courier-Journal reports that a Kentucky state trial court jury on Thursday found that Open Door Christian Center was negligent in supervising its former youth minister, Derek Coulter, and awarded damages against both the church and Coulter.  Thirteen-year old Jamie Mitchell was killed in an auto accident in which Coulter allowed the boy to drive after a campout that included ten members of the church youth group.  The church argued that the accident occurred on Coulter's day off on a campout that was not an official church trip, and that in any event it could not have foreseen that Coulter would let a youth drive.  However plaintiffs argued that the church should have known that Coulter had allowed at least eight youths to drive or steer his vehicle. The verdict included a $1 million wrongful death award against the church, which will be reduced by 20% because of Mitchell's contributory negligence. It also includes $150,000 to Mitchell's now divorced parents for loss of consortium, as well as $1 million assessed against Coulter personally for outrageous conduct. [Thanks to Joshua Denton for the lead.]