LCPS Reaches settlement with student struck by lightning in 2014

The Las Cruces Public Schools district on Wednesday reached a settlement with the family of a student struck by lightning during practice.

In 2014, Hunter Keffer and other students were struck by lightning during football practice at Picacho Middle School. Keffer’s injuries were the most severe. He was on life support, but was able to make a full recovery.

In 2015, his family filed a lawsuit against LCPS accusing the district of being negligent in how they handled the situation.

ABC-7 spoke with Jerry Walz, an attorney who represented LCPS in the case. Walz said the two parties were able to reach a settlement, but the details of that settlement were not disclosed.

“On behalf of the Las Cruces Public Schools, we are glad this claim was amicably resolved as we value the safety of all our students,” the attorney said. Walz said LCPS still believes it followed proper protocol the day of the incident.

The coaches were in the process of getting the players off the field when the lighting struck, but whether it was done fast enough is questionable.

Walz argued that not all injuries are foreseeable and that lightning is a natural event.

He also says there was mixed evidence that the district followed protocols set by LCPS and the New Mexico Activies Association.

In the end both sides agreed to a settlement with the plaintiffs in the case agreeing to lower the amount they were originally asking for, according to Walz.

Walz said no one profited from the situation.

“This wasn’t a walk in the park where we just opened up a checkbook and cut a check,” Walz said. “Given the injuries that the young man received, the medical bills incurred, if somebody was coming out of here thinking, ‘Well, you know there was a clear winner and loser,’ that’s just not the case.”

ABC-7 did attempt to reach out to the Keffer family and the attorneys who represented them in the case for comment, but we did not hear back before deadline.