Tragedy ends in settlement

Andrew Edwards

In a way, now two families have lost their daughters.

Laguna Beach High School graduate Jennifer Bammer, her friend

Audrey Brecht, of Seal Beach, and another woman were on a road trip

to Mammoth in February 2003. The three were riding a Ford Explorer

that overturned while Brecht was driving on Highway 395.

Bammer was killed. Brecht, who at the age of 19 already had two

convictions for driving under the influence, had been drinking before

the crash. She was convicted of vehicular manslaughter and handed a

10-year sentence.

After the conviction, the Bammer family sued the Brecht family.

Though Audrey Brecht was a legal adult, the Bammers argued that since

she still lived at her parents’ home, her parents were negligent by

letting her use their SUV, Jennifer’s mother, Nancy Bammer said.

Last month, the families agreed to settle the case for $168,500,

Nancy Bammer said. A good portion of the money will go to a

scholarship fund in Jennifer Bammer’s name.

“Part of the money is going to go to the scholarship fund to make

it fully invested so there’s always a scholarship in her name,” Nancy

Bammer said.

Audrey Brecht’s parents had forbidden her to drive on that road

trip, her father, William Brecht said. Audrey Brecht had also been

taken off of the family’s car insurance.

Brecht believed he and his wife were not negligent, but agreed to

the settlement because he did not want his daughter to face paying a

large judgment when she is released from prison. The Brechts also

accept Audrey Brecht’s responsibility for the deadly crash.

“She broke the rules and we feel tremendous sorrow for the

Bammers, they’re very nice people,” William Brecht said. “From where

I sit, it’s a tragedy for both families. Obviously, it’s much worse

for them.”

The Bammers objective in filing a lawsuit, Nancy Bammer said, was

not the money as much as to warn parents that they can be held liable

if their children drink and drive.

“Hopefully, after parents read about our experience, they will

think twice about giving the keys to their cars,” she said.

She said she does not hold any anger toward the Brechts.

“I believe that God is the final judge, and I told the mother that

I’d forgiven them,” Nancy Bammer said.

Nancy Bammer, who teaches kindergarten in Costa Mesa, said she and

her children, Stefanie and Larry, all plan to visit drivers education

classes to warn children of the terrible consequences of drinking and

driving, and hope to prevent other families from suffering a similar

tragedy.

“If we can save one person from all this, then it was worth it,”

Nancy Bammer said.