Sep 8, 2017Sachem East Sued
The parents of a football player at Sachem East High School in Farmingville, N.Y., who was killed when a 400-pound log fell on him, filed a notice of claim in order to sue the district and the Sachem East Touchdown Club for $15 million in damages.
According to the New York Post, Joshua Mileto had been carrying a 12 foot long log with his teammates when it became unstable and fell, crushing his neck. Mileto’s parents, Joshua Angelo Mileto and Sawida Lynn Ancharski-Mileto, accused the district of failing to instruct the athletes in how to carry out the exercise, or to provide their son with medical care. The Miletos are seeking $7.5 million in wrongful death damages, and another $7.5 million in compensatory death damages.
The Miletos’ attorney, Jay W. Dankner, said it was “lunacy” to have a high school football team take part in a military-style drill.
“The drill should never have been done,” Dankner said. “Running a relay race with a log on their shoulders is like what the Navy SEALs do — and even those guys have trouble with it.”
Dankner said the family did not wish to comment while they were grieving, but that they hoped to raise awareness of how dangerous overly strenuous athletic drills are. Deidre Gilligan, a spokesperson for the school, also declined comment on the pending litigation.
Suffolk County police said that there will not be any criminal charges as a result of the accident.
