A woman who suffered severe back pain after her vehicle collided with a police car received a $2.6 million settlement in her Morris County suit, LaLonde v. Mount Olive Police Department, on July 15.

Danielle LaLonde, now 37, was driving on Flanders-Netcong Road at the intersection with Route 206 in Mount Olive on April 25, 2012, when her car was struck on the right side by a police car driven by Officer Marianne Wurtemberg of the Mount Olive Police Department, according to plaintiff lawyer James McHugh of McHugh & Brancato in Boonton.

An investigation indicated Wurtemberg proceeded against a red light, without emergency lights or sirens, while she was talking on a handheld mobile phone, though she contended that she was pursuing a speeding vechicle when the accident occurred, McHugh said.