The Times-Picayune writes that a recent jury verdict absolveded Ford Motor Company from liability in a 2003 accident involving a Ford Explorer that killed a 72-year-old man. Duane Starkey, 27, was determined to be solely at fault for causing the vehicle to roll over, and was ordered to pay the victim’s widow $1.28 million in damages.

This case follows several jury decisions over the past five years which determined design defects in the Ford Explorer were at fault for multiple rollover accident cases. However, it was decided in this case that the defendant’s vehicle caused the deceased’s to be pushed sideways before turning over.

Dorothy DiMaggio, widow of the victim, filed lawsuits against both Ford and Starkey, arguing design flaws and negligent driving were at fault for the accident. Starkey was also charged with negligent injury and failure to yield, but these charges were dropped in 2006.