Former ‘Ink Master’ figure must pay $9 million to parents of passenger killed when he crashed in 2020 in Valley Village
Former ‘Ink Master’ figure must pay $9 million to parents of passenger killed when he crashed in 2020 in Valley Village
VAN NUYS — A 31-year-old former cast member of the reality show “Ink Master” has been ordered to pay $9 million to the parents of a former YouTube star who died in a 2020 collision when he was a passenger in the artist’s car.
Simon La Barrie and Lissa Burton, the father and mother of Corey La Barrie, brought the complaint in May 2020 against Daniel Joseph Silva and Daniel Silva Tattoos LLC. Silva’s 2020 McLaren 600LT crashed into a tree at about 9:40 p.m. on May 10, 2020, at Huston Street and Carpenter Avenue in Valley Village, killing La Barrie, who was celebrating his 25th birthday.
On Friday, after a trial to determine the parents’ damages, a Van Nuys Superior Court jury set the amount at $9 million. The panel deliberated for 12 minutes and their verdict was unanimous.
Police said previously that Silva left the vehicle and tried to leave the scene, but was stopped by residents who came to render aid. Silva pleaded no contest in July 2020 to a felony count of gross vehicular manslaughter and was sentenced the next month to a year in jail, five years probation, 250 hours of community service and a suspended prison sentence of four years.
“Defendant Daniel Silva does not dispute that he owed a duty to operate his vehicle in reasonable manner so as not to cause harm to others, (that he) breached that duty by losing control of his vehicle and causing a collision and (that he) caused the tragic, untimely death of his friend, Corey La Barrie,” Silva’s attorneys stated in previous court papers.
However, the same lawyers denied that Silva’s blood-alcohol level was at or above the legal limit.
In their lawsuit, La Barrie’s parents alleged that Silva was driving at “an extremely high speed” and that the North Hollywood resident failed to use reasonable care while driving the sports car. The plaintiffs further alleged that Silva was drunk at the time from alcohol provided by Daniel Silva Tattoos and that he had a previous drunken driving conviction, making him aware of the dangers of driving in such a condition.
“Defendant Silva was driving under the influence, far in excess of the posted speed limit on a residential street, lost control of the McLaren and slammed the McLaren into a tree,” the plaintiffs’ attorneys stated. “Thereafter, Silva attempted to run away from the accident scene.”
La Barrie’s parents had to pay for burial and funeral expenses for their son and have lost his love, companionship and financial support, according to the suit.
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