The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • Page 221

B4 WI-DNl-SDA Y.JANUARY 10, l'W0l; I.OS I IMI-S VALLEY NEWS Council Urged to Pay $1.5 Million in Ambulance Crash settlement. Rose still needs major surgery which can be performed by only a few doctors in the nation to reconstruct her trachea, the report said. It said Mahoney sustained severe neurological injuries that still affect his coordination. Ravel suffered a fractured peck and still experiences neck pains. Isaacs received broken bones and cuts.

before entering an intersection against a red light, which the driver did not do. The California Vehicle Code permits an emergency vehicle to run a red light only when it is safe to do so and at a speed not to exceed 15 m.p.h., the report noted. Given the "overwhelming evidence" of city liability, the city attorney's office recommended A Los Angeles Police Department investigation determined that the ambulance was traveling between 38 and 49 m.p.h. on an emergency call and had its sirens and red lights operating at the time of the collision. A city attorney's report found that Los Angeles city Fire Department policy requires emergency vehicles to come to a full stop STARTING TODAY, OUR FINAL Z5ACLLE OF THE WINTER SEASON.

UP TO DAVID BOHRER Los Angeles Times Richard Faroni, known as "Rocky," in first day of testimony in extortion trial. He said he had never heard of some of the prominent people who received extortion letters until he was arrested. Defendant Denies Mailing Letters in 'Pay or Die' Scheme LIZ CLAIBORNE METROPOLE VITTADINI CHAUS ByJOIINSCHWADA TIMES STAFF WRITER A Los Angeles City Council panel Tuesday recommended paying $1.5 million to settle a lawsuit filed by four teen-agers injured in 1986 when their van was struck by a city paramedic ambulance as it raced through a red light in Woodland Hills on an emergency call. Budget and Finance Committee members were warned by the city attorney's office that evidence of city liability was overwhelming and that the city's potential costs might be considerably greater than the proposed settlement if the case went to trial. "It's very sad, and I don't think there's any action to take but to settle," said Councilwoman Joy Picus, finance panel member, after hearing a city attorney's report on the accident.

The full City Council must ratify the settlement. The four plaintiffs were Taft High School students at the time of the accident, said Encino attorney Richard A. Schwartz, who represented plaintiff Sandra Isaacs. Isaacs, now a college student, would be awarded $150,000. The other three plaintiffs and the proposed monetary settlements for each are: Michelle Rose, $1.1 million; Christopher Mahoney, and Julie Lynn Revel, $75,000.

Mahoney was 16 at the time of the accident and the others were 15. The four were passengers in a van driven by Jade Rowland, 17, when it was struck by a city ambulance at Oxnard Street and De Soto Avenue on May 2, 1986. LIZWEAR NANCY HELLER J.H. LIZ PETITES 342-3151 ff 18946 Ventura Tarzana Mon. Sat.

10 6 Sun 12 5 An Impressive selection of fine Oriental rugs still remains after our Going Out Of Business sale ended. In order to raise enough cash to pay our creditors and avoid bankruptcy, we are forced to liquidate the balance of this Inventory through Auction REGARDtESS OF COST. Genuine handmade rugs such as fine Persian, Lustorious Chinese, In silk or wool. Gorgeous Indian, Kashmiri Kashans, Turkish Afgani Tribals and many Antiques. Even the private collection of the owner.

Scatter sizes. VALLEY many room sizes, runners oversize pieces. ww uw uuim iou. NAME YOUR PRICE, ON RUGS SO NICE Faroni said he owned an old-fashioned flashbulb holder that could be mistaken as a long-range microphone. He also testified that he never heard of some of the prominent letter recipients including two well-known hotel owners and a Lancaster businessman who is the chairman of the state Republican Party until after his arrest.

"I don't get into politics," Faroni said. Deputy Dist. Atty. Steven L. Cooley has asserted that Faroni and Makuch had a motive for the extortion plot because they were angry that local leaders had failed to support the Antelope Valley Film Commission, on which they worked as volunteers.

Faroni, who was known to friends as "Rocky" while Makuch was known as "Bullwinkle," has been described by detectives and prosecutors as a bright, eccentric former Army communications expert believed to have masterminded the plot. He was animated and talkative on the stand, recalling the exact dates of events. Cooley, who begins cross-examination today, called Faroni's statements "weak and preposterous. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to question him." Defense attorney Clark said he believes Faroni's testimony undercut a prosecution case based on circumstantial evidence. "Alternative explanations were given," Clark said.

"They can ask any question they want, but they are not going to get more than they have." By SEBASTIAN ROTELLA TIMES STAFF WRITER After more than a year in jail and several weeks of trial testimony, a former Lancaster aerospace worker took the witness stand in San Fernando Superior Court on Tuesday for the first time and denied mailing extortion letters to hundreds of prominent Antelope Valley residents. Richard Faroni's testimony painted the prosecution's case as being built on misinterpretation of innocent acts. The "pay-or-die" letters mailed in late 1988 demanded millions of dollars, but no money was ever collected. Faroni, 27, was charged along with 28-year-old Roman Makuch with attempted extortion and conspiracy, based on evidence of surveillance and other activities that prosecutors portrayed as incriminating. Judge Ronald S.

Coen rejected a motion to dismiss the case two weeks ago, saying the prosecution had convinced him the defendants are guilty. On Tuesday, Faroni contradicted prosecution testimony that he bragged about an ongoing surveillance project, saying he conducted surveillance activity only once when he used a camera and tape recorder to spy on a neighbor with whom he was feuding. And he denied owning a long-range listening device known as a "big ears," which a neighbor said he saw the defendants load into a car before late-night drives, during which prosecutors believe they gathered information on victims. ORIENTAL RUG GALLERY 18961 VENTURA BLVD. TARZANA, CA 91356 San Fernando Vallay Offices: Editorial: 2O0O0 Prairie St.

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