Dean and Sharon Pregerson have filed a wrongful death lawsuit in the hit-and-run accident that killed their son David Pregerson. Filed on Feb. 17 in LA Superior Court, the lawsuit names Marguerite Vuong, Michael Vuong and Warren Satz as defendants.
The lawsuit alleges that Marguerite Vuong “failed to stop and/or slow for traffic conditions and/or for the purpose of yielding to pedestrians and slammed her vehicle into the body of David M. Pregerson. Without stopping to render aid or assistance or to alert anyone to this accident… continued in their vehicle, leaving the scene of the accident in violation of statutory law.”
Marguerite Vuong pleaded no contest on Feb. 6 to one felony count of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death.
The complaint continues that the Vuongs “attempted to conceal their involvement in this accident by making repairs to the Volvo automobile in order to hide any and all accident damage.”
Michael Vuong pleaded no contest to one felony count of accessory to hit-and-run causing death.
In an email to the Palisadian-Post, Anthony Salerno, attorney for Michael Vuong, said, “It is interesting that the Pregersons waited until after the plea to file their lawsuit. The Pregersons have used their position and influence to pressure the District Attorney’s Office, and now they are after money. I am surprised and disappointed.”
Satz, a Palisades High School graduate who is currently a college student at Chapman University in Orange, California, was driving in the neighborhood and “purportedly attempted to assist an unconscious David M. Pregerson” after David had been struck on Chautauqua Blvd. on Dec. 27, 2013, according to the lawsuit.
“Satz dragged an unconscious David M. Pregerson from the street to the ivy bed along the shoulder,” the complaint continues.
The lawsuit states that after moving Pregerson, “Satz got back in his car and drove away… Satz did not contact either emergency medical services or the police at any point.”
After Pregerson was moved to the ivy, he was not “plainly visible to passersby until several hours later after the sun rose,” the lawsuit alleges.
Salerno told the Post the allegation that David was not found until after sunrise is incorrect.
“The time elapsed between when he was struck and when he was discovered by the person from Palisades Patrol was less than 15 minutes, and closer to 10 minutes,” Salerno said.
The lawsuit further alleges that “the delay in emergency, life-saving medical treatment due to Warren Satz’s failed rescue attempt and concealment of David M. Pregerson resulted in David’s death.”
Satz is not facing criminal charges in the case.
West Bureau Homicide Detective John Skaggs, who was assigned to the case in March 2014, told the Post previously that “based on interviews with this individual [Satz] and a review of his phone and text message records,” homicide detectives concluded that he was not a suspect in the tragic hit and run.
Satz’ attorney Randall Rich told the Post, “We have no comment on the lawsuit.”
Salerno, however, said, “Even though Mr. Satz is not my client, it is outrageous that the Pregersons would sue him. He was a Good Samaritan who was only trying to help. He assumed the downed pedestrian was drunk and passed out and got him off the road. I assume Mr. Satz did not call the police because he thought he was doing the downed pedestrian a favor so the pedestrian wouldn’t get arrested for being drunk in public. I can’t see any point in suing Mr. Satz except to inflict as much pain as possible on whomever can be attacked, and to extract as much money as can be extracted.”
The Pregersons are suing for funeral and burial expenses, medical expenses, legal fees and more.
The Vuongs are due in court March 6 for sentencing.
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