The family of Emily Shane, the 13-year-old girl struck and killed by a driver on Pacific Coast Highway in April, has filed monetary claims against the state and the county. The family says the state and county have neglected safety on the state highway. Also, the family says the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s officials failed to respond to phone calls about the erratic driving of Sina Khankhanian, whose vehicle struck Shane.
The claims are expected to be rejected, family attorney Terry Goldberg said. After this happens, a lawsuit will be filed. Goldberg said the suit would not specify an amount of money. A portion of any money won from the suit would go toward the Emily Shane Foundation, a nonprofit being formed by the family to help other children and support various causes.
The announcement was made Tuesday morning across the street from the scene of Shane’s death on Pacific Coast Highway near the intersection with Heathercliff Road.
“We don’t want anyone else to have to bury their child because there weren’t proper safety measures in place to make sure that they could be safe walking down a road, unfortunately in Malibu it’s a highway, and being able to get to the corner to cross the street to meet their parents.”
Khankhanian, 26, has been charged with murder. He has pleaded not guilty. Officials say he might have been trying to commit suicide when his vehicle struck Shane.
-Jonathan Friedman
