Man Awarded $8.6 Million After Crashing Into Wild Pigs

A Monterey County jury has ordered the state to pay $8.6 million to a motorcyclist who was severely injured when he struck six wild boars on a state highway in 2003.

The jury ruled Friday that the state was responsible for Adam Rogers' injuries because officials knew that wild pigs regularly crossing a stretch of Highway 1 just south of the Carmel River were creating a dangerous situation, but they did nothing to address it.

Rogers, a 45-year-old former karate teacher and champion kickboxer, suffered serious injuries and is now confined to a wheelchair. He and his wife sued the state Department of Transportation in Monterey County Superior Court.

DOT attorneys argued that the state wasn't responsible for the actions of wild animals and said Rogers was under the influence when he struck them. A test found Rogers had a blood-alcohol level of more than .10 after the crash, but the jury concluded that wasn't a major factor in the crash.

Read the full story at cbs13.com

The man deserves the money.  Wild pigs are slowly taking over in the south and they've become a big nuisance.  They should have had signs on that stretch of road to warn travelers that wild pigs frequent the area.  It's a shame he will never walk again, hopefully the money will give him some kind of happiness the rest of his life.