KITV.com
Judge Approves Kaloko Dam Settlement
Pflueger Accused Of Modifying Reservoir That Failed
UPDATED: 2:27 pm HST October 29, 2009
HONOLULU — A judge on Kauai has just approved a massive settlement of lawsuits stemming from the Kaloko Dam failure.
Former auto dealer and landowner James “Jimmy” Pflueger was blamed by the state and families of seven people who died when hundreds of millions of gallons or water released by the collapse flowed down usually calm Wailapa stream.
Several other property owners, including singer Bette Midler, also sued Pflueger. They also were involved in Thursday’s settlement.
Terms of the settlement were kept secret, but state taxpayers will bear some of the liability.
Pflueger blamed the state and prior dam owners, saying the dam was deteriorating and still went uninspected by the state.
# Victims: Alan Gareth Dingwall
# Daniel Jay Arroyo
# Rowan Grey Makana Fehring-Dingwall
# Aurora Solveig Fehring
# Christina Michelle McNees
# Timothy Wendell Noonan Jr.
# Carl Wayne Rotstein
The landslide and flooding left massive amounts of debris surrounding the Wailapa Stream.
Pflueger still faces criminal charges that the attorney general is pursuing.
