House Bill hb0151

    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                 HB 151

        By Representative Waters






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to the City of Clearwater;

  3         providing for the relief of Eva Skowronek, as

  4         the widow of Wieslaw Skowronek, and for the

  5         relief of Anna Marie Skowronek, Victor

  6         Skowronek, and Hubert Skowronek, the children

  7         of Wieslaw Skowronek; providing appropriations

  8         to compensate them for the death of Wieslaw

  9         Skowronek as a result of the negligence of the

10         City of Clearwater; providing an effective

11         date.

12

13         WHEREAS, on Sunday, January 19, 1997, Wieslaw Skowronek

14  was visiting the Virgin Mary apparition at the Seminole

15  Finance Building in Clearwater, Florida, and

16         WHEREAS, as a result of the use of excessive force by a

17  City of Clearwater police officer, Wieslaw Skowronek's

18  pancreas was ruptured and he bled to death, and

19         WHEREAS, the death of Wieslaw Skowronek was clearly the

20  consequence of the negligence of the City of Clearwater, and

21         WHEREAS, the City of Clearwater and Eva Skowronek have

22  entered into a settlement agreement in which the City of

23  Clearwater has agreed to a settlement in the amount of

24  $525,000, of which the City of Clearwater will pay $200,000,

25  Ranger Insurance Company will pay $125,000, and a claim bill

26  will be submitted for the remaining $200,000, and

27         WHEREAS, the City of Clearwater has paid the $200,000,

28  which is the maximum amount allowable under s. 768.28, Florida

29  Statutes, and Ranger Insurance Company has paid $125,000, NOW,

30  THEREFORE,

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                 HB 151

    722-141-02






  1  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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  3         Section 1.  The facts stated in the preamble to this

  4  act are found and declared to be true.

  5         Section 2.  (1)  The City of Clearwater is authorized

  6  and directed to compensate Eva Skowronek, as the widow of

  7  Wieslaw Skowronek, and Anna Marie Skowronek, Victor Skowronek,

  8  and Hubert Skowronek, children of Wieslaw Skowronek, for the

  9  death of Wieslaw Skowronek due to the negligence of a City of

10  Clearwater employee, in the following amounts:

11         (a)  $100,000 to Eva Skowronek, as the widow of Wieslaw

12  Skowronek.

13         (b)  $33,333.33 to Anna Marie Skowronek, age 20, as the

14  child of Wieslaw Skowronek.

15         (c)  $33,333.33 to Victor Skowronek, as the minor child

16  of Wieslaw Skowronek, to be placed in the guardianship account

17  established for Victor Skowronek.

18         (d)  $33,333.33 to Hubert Skowronek, as the minor child

19  of Wieslaw Skowronek, to be placed in the guardianship account

20  established for Hubert Skowronek.

21         (2)  Amounts paid for attorney's fees and costs, as

22  limited in accordance with s. 768.28, Florida Statutes, shall

23  be payable pro rata from each of the claimants.

24         Section 3.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

25  law.

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