A little over a year after he took a plea deal that secured 20 to 30 years in prison after what the judge called a “drastic reduction in charges” against him, a million dollar lawsuit against Shawn Patrick Woodruff and his father has been settled.
Woodruff, 29-years-old and from Croswell, pleaded guilty last May to reckless driving causing death, failure to stop at a scene of an accident resulting in death when at fault, an amended obstruction of justice charge, failure to report an accident, and unlawful use of a motor vehicle in relation to the August 2022 hit and run death of 31-year-old Ben Green in Croswell. Following Woodruff’s plea deal in March 2023, Green’s mother, Joy Johnson, filed a $1 million auto negligence-wrongful death suit against him and his father, William Patrick Woodruff, after it was established in court that the vehicle Woodruff had been driving at the time of the crime belonged to William.
Under Michigan’s vehicle code, in civil actions, if a car is being driven by a member of the car owner’s immediate family, it is presumed that the family member has permission from the car owner and that the owner is aware that they’re using the car, and is thus liable for injury caused during that use.
Following several months of Johnson and her lawyer, Detroit-based Justin Hoff, subpoenaing necessary testimony and information from the Woodruffs (with Sanilac County Circuit Court Judge Timothy Wrathell at one point having to order the defendants to comply with said subpoenas), the court ultimately granted Johnson the wrongful death settlement in March 2024.
It is unclear at present how much of the $1 million settlement will be paid to Hoff for attorney fees and costs.
