Husband Wants To Start Scholarship In Wife's Name

Family members of Janise Joseph Woodard, who was killed along with her infant son when an aircraft impacted their home near Sanford, FL last July, has settled with NASCAR and an insurance company on the matter, reports the Orlando Sentinel.

As ANN reported, five people were killed when the Cessna 310 (type shown above), flown by two persons employed with the stock car racing league, went down in a neighborhood in the Orlando suburb July 10, 2007. The plane's pilot reported smoke in the cockpit shortly after takeoff from Daytona Beach; controllers were directing the stricken plane to land at Orlando-Sanford International Airport (SFB) when it crashed.

Officials with NASCAR and its insurer, United States Aviation Underwriters, confirmed a settlement has been reached with Joe Woodard, Janise's husband and father of Josiah, regarding two claims filed regarding the accident. Terms will be kept confidential.

Another couple who lost their four-year-daughter also plans to file a claim, USUA Senior Vice President Clark Howard said. Peter Dechat and his wife, Milagros, also lost their house in the crash... and in addition to the death of their daughter, Gabriela, both Peter and his stepson suffered severe burns.

Daniel Happy, 10, is still being treated at the Shriners Burn Hospital in Cincinnati, OH. Howard said it will be more difficult to determine the amount of damages, as the family's medical expenses continue to grow.

Natalie Jackson, attorney for the Woodard family, said USUA approached them after she sent notice of the family's plan to file a claim. She said Joe Woodard had no desire for a drawn-out legal fight.

"As long as it was a fair settlement, he wanted to move on with his life," Jackson said. "He's not a litigious person."

The settlement provides "more than enough" money for Woodard's daughter, Jurnee, to attend college when she grows up, according to Jackson. The settlement included compensation for pain and suffering.

Joe Woodard plans to rebuild his house at the site of the crash... but likely won't live there. The construction is "really to kind of help the neighborhood heal," the attorney said.

Woodard has also approached officials with Florida A&M University's law school, where his wife once took classes, about starting a scholarship in her name.

FMI: Read The NTSB Prelim, www.nascar.com