Day-care lawsuit count reaches four

Sue Doyle

COSTA MESA -- Four lawsuits have been filed in Orange County Superior

Court stemming from the tragedy on a Costa Mesa playground last May that

left two children dead and several injured.

Wednesday marked the one-year anniversary of the incident, in which a man

drove his Cadillac onto the playground of the Southcoast Early Childhood

Learning Center on the East Side of Costa Mesa.

As such, it was also the deadline to file a personal injury claim in

connection with the crash. Anything filed after the one-year limitation

could be grounds for dismissal in court, said Torrance-based attorney

Maureen McCool.

The parents of 3-year-old Brandon Wiener and 4-year-old Sierra Soto, who

were both killed in the crash, earlier this year filed lawsuits against

the driver, Steven Allen Abrams, the day-care center’s management and its

owners, Coastal Lighthouse Community Church.

Other lawsuits include one filed in February by Caroline Price, mother of

Victoria Sherman, who suffered a broken hip and pelvis as a result of the

crash. The lawsuit also names day-care center director Sheryl Hawkinson,

Lighthouse Coastal Community Church and First Baptist Church. Price’s

attorney could not be reached Wednesday.

Also, Superior National Insurance Co. is suing Abrams in an attempt to

recover worker compensation benefits paid to day-care center employee

Danielle Diaz, who suffered a broken leg when Abrams drove his car

through a chain-link fence surrounding the playground.

McCool represents Superior National Insurance Co., based in Calabasas.

She said Abrams has not yet been served with the complaint.

Cindy Soto and Pamela Wiener have said they hope the lawsuits will

promote better safety standards at day-care centers.

Soto said she will donate a portion of any judgment to the foundation she

created for that purpose, Sierra’s Light.