Girl's death on Cardinal to cost county $520K

Pima County will pay $520,000 to the parents of a 14-year-old girl killed by a speeding drunken driver on a dark street.

A Pima County Superior Court jury decided on Friday after a five-day trial before Judge Paul Tang that the county was 13 percent at fault for the Aug. 1, 2004, death of Ebonee Moody.

The jury awarded $2 million each to Shirley and Leonard Moody.

The jury decided that Mike Ellsworth Baker, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter and is serving 10 years in prison for Ebonee's death, was 74 percent responsible for Ebonee's death, which amounts to $2.96 million.

The girl was 13 percent responsible for her death, the jury decided.

In addition to the $4 million, the jury awarded the Moodys $5 million in compensatory damages against Baker.

Ebonee Moody was walking westbound across Cardinal Avenue near West Tucker Street when she was struck by a southbound car driven by Baker, then 59.

Leonard and Shirley Moody sued the county, saying it had an obligation to make Cardinal and West Tucker safe to cross. An initial claim asked for $5 million.

After Ebonee's death, the county lowered the speed limit on Cardinal from 45 mph to 35 mph.

Pima County also worked with school and tribal agencies to install a $300,000 flashing crosswalk signal on Camino de Oeste near Hohokam Middle School, dedicated to Ebonee's memory.

Cardinal Park, 6925 S. Cardinal Ave., was renamed Ebonee Marie Moody Neighborhood Park on Jan. 16, 2005, which would have been her 15th birthday.