SAD 34 agrees to settlement of $100,000 in athlete’s death

BELFAST – SAD 34 has agreed to a $100,000 settlement in a lawsuit filed by a mother whose son collapsed and died while running a cross-country race two years ago.

Assistant Superintendent of Schools Al Pfeiffer confirmed the settlement Thursday. The suit was filed by Maura DiPrete on behalf of the estate of her son Joseph DiPrete-DiGioia, 14, of Belfast, who collapsed during a race at the Maine Cross Country Festival of Champions at the Troy Howard Middle School on Oct. 4, 2003.

In agreeing to the settlement, neither the school district nor the other parties named in the suit admit any wrongdoing.

The suit charged the district, the high school, its principal and assistant principal and athletic director and number of coaches with wrongful death, negligence and willful, wanton and reckless conduct before and during the race. The cause of the boy’s death was determined to be cardiac arrhythmia.

The suit alleged that those supervising the event wasted critical time between the moment DiPrete-DiGioia was reported missing from the racecourse by his parents and the official organization of search parties to locate him. The boy’s mother claimed that as much as two hours passed between the time he was reported missing and his being located in tall grass off the course.

The suit noted that two additional races, after the one DiPrete-DiGioia failed to finish, were conducted before a search was instituted. The suit contended that had the boy been found sooner, it was likely that medical intervention would have saved his life.

Under the terms of the settlement, the school district agreed to implement a formal physical evaluation form for prospective athletes and the adoption of a plans to handle emergencies during the course of sporting events. The plan should conform to recommendations of the National Athletic Trainers Association.