Slain Idaho Rancher’s Family Receives $2.6 Million
The family of Idaho rancher Jack Yantis will receive a $2.6 million settlement from Adams County, ID.
Yantis was killed November 1, 2015, by Adams County sheriff’s deputies Brian Wood and Cody Roland while the rancher was attempting to euthanize a bull that had been injured in a car crash. Yantis’ family filed a wrongful death lawsuit that was dismissed November 20, 2018, after the settlement was reached.
The Idaho Statesman reported it had confirmed the settlement amount via a public records request with the Idaho Counties Risk Management Program, a self-insurance pool that insures local governments, including Adams County.
The night of the incident, the bull was struck on U.S. 95 in front of Yantis’ ranch, and county dispatchers called Yantis, 62, to the scene. Yantis arrived with a rifle to euthanize the bull but the deputies claimed he held the rifle in a threatening manner and refused to lower it. He was shot 12 times.
The Idaho State Police, the Idaho Attorney General and the FBI investigated the case for nine months, but said they did not find enough evidence to file criminal charges. The two deputies no longer work for Adam County. Roland resigned one month after the shooting. Wood left after being on paid leave for 10 months following the shooting.
After the settlement, Yantis’ widow, Donna, told the Associated Press that the end of the legal action didn’t bring closure. “No amount of money can replace him,” she said of her husband.
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