Morgan Freeman Settles Suit On Car Wreck

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Morgan Freeman keeps his shades on during the Mandela Day Celebration Concert at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on July 18, 2009
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Demaris Meyer and her attorney Gloria Allred (not pictured) hold a press conference to announce a lawsuit against actor Morgan Freeman on February 25, 2009 in Los Angeles
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Morgan Freeman keeps his shades on at the Mandela Day Gala Dinner in New York City on July 15, 2009
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Morgan Freeman at the 6th annual Living Legends of Aviation event in Beverly Hills

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FIRST PUBLISHED: November 5, 2009 4:31 PM EST

JACKSON, Miss. --

Morgan Freeman has settled a lawsuit related to a 2008 car accident that seriously injured him and a passenger, according to court records posted Thursday. Terms of the settlement were not released.

Demaris Meyer filed a federal lawsuit against the Academy Award-winning actor in February, claiming Freeman had been drinking the night of the accident last summer and was negligent when the car ran off the side of a rural highway near his Mississippi Delta home.

The 1997 Nissan Maxima belonged to Meyer but she said Freeman was driving when the car flipped several times and landed upright in a ditch about 75 miles south of Memphis, Tenn. No charges were filed.

Details of the settlement were not disclosed in court records. U.S. District Judge Michael P. Mills closed the case in a ruling Thursday.

Freeman’s attorney, Jack Hayes Jr., would not discuss the terms of the deal, but said “we’re all glad it’s over with.”

Meyer’s attorney said she would comment later.

Meyer, who lives in Memphis, had sued for medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, permanent disability and property damage. The lawsuit claimed Freeman had been drinking that night at the Bayou Bend Golf and Country Club and later at a friend’s house.

Meyer also complained that she was wrongly “labeled as the other woman” after the accident and “accused of having caused the breakup of Mr. Freeman’s marriage.” Meyer has said Freeman offered to let her stay that night at one of three houses on his property after they attended a party.

Not long after the wreck, Freeman’s friend, business partner and lawyer, Bill Luckett, told reporters that Freeman and his wife, Myrna Colley-Lee, had been separated since December 2007 and were getting a divorce. The divorce was filed under seal in Tallahatchie County Chancery Court and was not open to the public.

Freeman won an Oscar for his performance in 2004’s “Million Dollar Baby” and co-starred in “The Dark Knight.” His screen credits also include “Bruce Almighty,” '‘The Shawshank Redemption” and “Driving Miss Daisy.”

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