Northern California Transit Approves Settlement Over Journalist Death

The widow of a veteran Oakland Tribune journalist who was struck and killed by a San Francisco Muni train four years ago has been awarded a $900,000 wrongful death settlement.

The San Jose Mercury News reported the Municipal Transportation Agency’s board of directors met in a closed door session Tuesday and approved the settlement for Daryl Brand, the widow of William “Bill” Brand.

The 70-year-old Brand was critically injured after being struck by a streetcar in Feb. 2009. He later died at a hospital.

Brand worked at the Tribune for 27 years before retiring in late 2008. He continued to write a beer blog called “What’s on Tap.”

The newspaper says the settlement is one of the largest in recent years for Muni.

Daryl Brand did not comment Tuesday.