The Outagamie County administration building is seen on Aug. 26, 2022. PC: Fox 11 Online
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Outagamie County may settle a lawsuit with the widower of a woman who was killed after she jumped from a moving minivan onto the highway as she was being transported by two sheriff’s deputies.
The county would also install a memorial bench in honor of Xee Yang.
The incident happened May 30, 2022, after the Grand Chute Police Department requested an emergency detention based on Yang’s “bizarre and sometimes dangerous conduct.” The Outagamie County Sheriff’s Department was transporting Yang to the Winnebago Mental Health Institute when Yang — alone in the backseat with the doors unlocked — opened the door, jumped or fell from the vehicle, struck the pavement and died, according to the federal lawsuit.
In August, a federal judge granted some of the defendants’ motions to dismiss the claims, but left Fourteenth Amendment claims against the deputies in place.
According to a document filed with the agenda for the County Board’s Finance Committee, a settlement has been reached.
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Outagamie County Board of Supervisors does authorize and approve the claim settlement agreement with The Jeff Scott Olson Law Firm representing Mr. Navtej Bhandari, which includes full and final payment from the County’s liability insurance coverage of $400,000 and Outagamie County will erect a memorial bench in honor of Mr. Navtej Bhandari’s spouse Xee Yang,” the resolution states.
The Finance Committee meets at 11 a.m. Jan. 6 in the County Board room of the administration building, 320 S. Walnut Street. If approved there, the full County Board would consider the item Jan. 13.
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