COLUMBUS — The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled Ford Motor Co. isn’t liable for a gas tank fire that severely burned a police officer after his cruiser was rear-ended by a drunk driver at more than 90 mph.
The court in a 5-2 ruling Thursday overturned an appeals court decision that said a Mahoning County judge in 2011 failed to tell jurors to consider Ford’s later warnings of a potential defect with the 2005 Crown Victoria Police Interceptor driven by Austintown Township officer Ross Linert.
Linert was burned over 40 percent of his body and is permanently disabled after the 2007 accident.
Ford later modified that model’s gas tanks.
An attorney says Linert and his family are disappointed and are considering whether to petition the Supreme Court for a new hearing.
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