WGEM.com: Quincy News, Weather, Sports, and RadioJudge sets deadline in helicopter lawsuit in Iowa

Judge sets deadline in helicopter lawsuit in Iowa

Associated Press - November 25, 2009 3:34 PM ET

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - A Polk County judge has set a Dec. 3 deadline for the parties involved in an $11.4 million damage award in lawsuit over a deadly helicopter crash during a movie shoot to settle their differences by mediation.

The crash happened during the filming of "The Final Season" in eastern Iowa in June 2006.

Cameraman Roland Schlotzhauer, of Lenexa, Kan., died when the helicopter hit a power line and crashed in a cornfield near Walford. The pilot and film producer were injured.

In July, a Polk County jury awarded $7.2 million to Schlotzhauer's widow, Kathryn, and $4.2 million to producer Tony Wilson, of Dallas Center.

Jurors declared pilot Richard Green, of Hudson, and two producers were at fault. The jury assessed Green 75 percent of the blame for Schlotzhauer's death and 100 percent fault for Wilson's injuries. They ruled the producers were 25 percent responsible in Schlotzhauer's death.

Information from: The Gazette, http://www.gazetteonline.com/

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.