Utah County couple settles lawsuit over deadly prison van rollover

SALT LAKE CITY — A federal judge has dismissed a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of a Utah man who died in a prison van rollover in Arkansas.

The dismissal came Wednesday after Robert and Linda Talbot reached an out-of-court settlement with U.S. Extradition Services, a company based in Stockton, Calif., that contracts with law enforcement to transport prisoners across the country. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Shawn Robert Talbot, 29, died when the van he was riding in crashed on U.S. 167 in southern Arkansas on June 27, 2008.

The Talbots, of Utah County, contended in the lawsuit filed in June that the company was negligent because the driver fell asleep before the van drifted into oncoming traffic.

Another U.S. Extradition employee grabbed the wheel and over-corrected. The van hit a culvert and went airborne before rolling twice and coming to a stop, an Arkansas state police officer said at the time.

Court papers said Talbot was handcuffed and shackled, but not wearing a seat belt. Seven inmates and two guards were in the van, which was headed to Little Rock, police said. One other inmate was killed and four were injured.

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