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One of the civil lawsuits stemming from the fatal DUI crash involving WWE Hall of Famer Tammy "Sunny" Sytch that resulted in the death of Julian Lasseter has been settled, PWInsider.com has learned.
The lawsuit, filed by Jana Olivova, a passenger in another car that was impacted during the incident, was set to go to trial on 7/8 before the Circuit Court of Volusia County, Florida, seeking in excess of $50,000. Olivova had originally filed a suit against Sytch, Pente and Olivova's own insurance company Geico but an amended lawsuit filed in July 2023, only listed Geico as the sole defendant.
Olivova filed a notice on 6/19 that the two sides had come to a settlement (the amount was not listed) and on 6/20, filed for a voluntary dismissal. While the case has not yet been officially closed, it's likely a formality once the presiding Judge signs off.
In the original lawsuit, Olivova alleged, "As a direct and proximate result of the negligence of Defendant, TAMARA SYTCH, Plaintiff, JANA OLIVOVA, suffered bodily injury including a permanent injury to the body as a whole, pain and suffering of both a physical and mental nature, disability, physical impairment, disfigurement, mental anguish, inconvenience, loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life, aggravation of an existing condition, expense of hospitalization, medical and nursing care and treatment, loss of earnings, loss of ability to earn money and loss of ability to lead and enjoy a normal life. The losses are either permanent or continuing and Plaintiff will suffer the losses in the future. Plaintiff, JANA OLIVOVA also suffered other damages, including, but not limited to, loss of the use of the subject vehicle, damage to the subj ect vehicle. Plaintiff, JANA OLIVOVA, will suffer or incur the injuries, expenses and impairment in the future."
Sytch had been listed as witness who can testify in regard to liability in the case. Pente, who was Sytch's fiance at the time of the incident, is not listed as a witness.
Sytch's public defender in Florida has moved forward with the appeal of the DUI sentencing against her, but no ruling has been made as of this writing. The court can rule directly on any motion, son there would not likely be any court hearings in that regard.
On the civil lawsuit front, Sytch is also still facing a lawsuit filed by the estate of Julian Lasseter, who perished in the traffic incident that led to Sytch's arrest in March 2022 for one count of DUI causing death (DUI Manslaughter, a felony in the third degree), one count of causing death while operating a vehicle with a suspended or revoked driver’s license (a felony in the third degree), four counts of DUI causing injury to a person, and three counts of DUI causing damage to property. The estate filed a sceries of questions with the court for her to respond to related to her culpability in the crash that caused Lasseter's death in March 2022. Sytch responded to each questions that she was pleading the fifth amendment - that she could not be a witness against herself. The case is still making its way through the court system. That case is slated to go to court later this year.
Sytch is currently slated to be released from The Florida Department of Corrections in November 2039. She was transferred from Volusia County Corrections to a prison facility in Ocala, Florida after being sentenced to 17 years plus another 8 years of probation on 11/28/23.
Despite her conviction, Sytch remains a member of the WWE Hall of Fame. While Hulk Hogan and the late Jimmy Snuka had been suspended from the WWE Hall of Fame in the past, to date, no one has ever been removed. Sytch was the first WWE Hall of Famer to be convicted of a felony after being inducted into the Hall.
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