County To Pay Wrongful Death Claim

Bingham County has agreed to pay $170,000 in an out-of-court settlement of a $500,000 wrongful death lawsuit filed by courthouse annex custodian Charlene Manwaring.

She filed the complaint a year ago over the death of her husband, Hal. He died after a county ladder he was on allegedly collapsed while he was voluntarily helping to install sound equipment in the civic auditorium for the 1998 Junior Miss Pageant.

Charlene Manwaring sought $477,663 for the loss of her husband, plus $50,000 for medical expenses, $8,604 for funeral costs and an unspecified sum for the loss of her husband’s affection and companionship.