WATERTOWN — The family of a woman who died in an e-bike accident in Thompson Park last summer might be settling its case out of court.
Karen Hodge, 66, died July 12, 2025, after she drove her e-bike over a speed bump in Thompson Park. She suffered head injuries and died on the way to the hospital. Her husband, Jeffrey Hodge, also was injured when he lost control of his e-bike after driving over the speed bump that the city had installed just days before the crash. He suffered a broken clavicle and a fractured rib.
Last April, Andrew Palmiere, the attorney for Hodge’s family, filed a notice of claim against the city for negligence and for suffering that both Karen Hodge and Jeffrey Hodge suffered in the crash. A notice of claim is the first step in filing a lawsuit.
A scheduled court date for Aug. 13 was adjourned until next month to give attorneys a chance to settle the case out of court, according to a July 17 letter that Timothy McMahon, an attorney with the Syracuse office of Bond, Schoeneck & KIng, who is representing the city in the matter, sent to the court.
McMahon notified state Supreme Court Judge James P. McClusky through the letter requesting an adjournment because the two attorneys were meeting Monday to discuss the case in “mediation” on Tuesday.
If the case doesn’t go to court, the financial arrangement about the settlement, the facts about the accident and the circumstances involving the city installing the speed bumps might never be revealed to the public.
Soon after the notice of claim was filed, the city removed the speed bumps in Thompson Park. At the time. City Manager Eric F. Wagenaar released a memo explaining the decision.
“In July 2025, a very unfortunate incident occurred in Thompson Park involving the speed bumps. As a result, I have directed the appropriate staff to remove the speed bumps at this time. The City remains committed to public safety and will continue to evaluate roadway conditions, traffic calming measures, and methods for controlling imprudent speeds throughout the City. Because this matter may involve future legal proceedings, it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time,” he wrote.
The speed bumps were installed just days before the accident.
According to the notice of claim, the city and county were negligent. The claim alleges that the speed bumps were dangerous and there were no signs that warned bicyclists of the hazard. Palmiere claims that the couple were experienced e-bike riders, who were unaware that the speed bumps had recently been installed on the park road.
“No signs were placed in advance of the speed bumps to alert drivers or bicyclists to their presence,” according to the claim.
The speed bump extended all the way across the park road, the claim alleges. The notice claims that the couple were going about 22 mph when they hit the speed bumps.
The claim states that Jeffery Hodge noticed yellow lines at the bottom of the hill, but thought the markings were painted on the road for a pedestrian crosswalk.
According to the claim, Hodge initiated the lawsuit for “conscious pain on behalf of his late wife as well as a claim for wrongful death on behalf of her estate.”
The claim didn’t seek a dollar amount for the planned lawsuit.