Danbury Agrees To $2.6 Million Negligence Settlement

February 11, 1997

The Town of Danbury agreed to pay a $2.6 million out-of-court settlement in connection with the November 1993 death of an executive from the Pepsi Cola Company.

The settlement goes to the family of Gary Uhler, who died after Danbury police failed to respond to his wife’s pleas for help.

Mrs. Uhler was visiting relatives in West Virginia when her husband telephoned from Danbury saying he felt ill. Alarmed when she could not reach him later by phone, Mrs. Uhler called Danbury police and asked them to investigate. Police failed to enter the home until Mrs. Uhler located another Pepsi employee to accompany them.

When they finally entered the home, police found Gary on the floor having a seizure.

The Uhler’s attorney, Michael Koskoff, said that Gary died from a failure to have his illness treated more quickly. Better training and clearer protocols would have prevented the tragedy, he said.