A federal court has dismissed a lawsuit filed after a woman died when she was buried alive on an Ocean City beach in 2017.
A medical examiner ruled that 30-year-old Ashley O’Connor died as result of asphyxia due to suffocation after a tractor buried her on the beach.
The newspaper The Daily Times reports that attorneys representing Ocean City and the victim’s mother filed a joint motion Tuesday stipulating the dismissal of the claims with prejudice.
It doesn’t say whether there was a settlement, but documents filed earlier this year stated both parties had made “substantial progress toward resolution” and were hopeful the matter could be resolved soon.
In the lawsuit filed in 2019, Gayla Lutyk and her attorney say town workers’ negligence caused her daughter, O’Connor, to be trapped in the sand in 2017. The lawsuit alleged that workers didn’t investigate whether anyone was on the beach before twice driving a tractor over the Plano, Texas, woman as it covered holes. The suit sought $1 million in damages.
I’m very sorry that someone died, but Ocean City isn’t responsible for a drunk woman’s dumb decision.
I pray that this doesn’t happen to my loved ones and any person for that matter. People go to Ocean City for the beach and to Party, ie. get drunk. Drunk people make irresponsible decisions.