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Coach's estate settles suit in DUI death

COLUMBIA, S.C., March 25 (UPI) -- The family of a man killed by an alleged drunk driver settled for $1.3 million from the estate of an ex-South Carolina coach whose son drove the vehicle.

The lawsuit stated that Jim Carlen, who died last year, had let his son, William Holt Carlen, drive his SUV, knowing the son had a history of DUI convictions, The (Columbia, S.C.) State reported Sunday.

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The younger Carlen is awaiting trial on felony DUI charges in the death at Five Points last May of 24-year-old Justin Timmerman. Authorities said Timmerman was dragged to his death.

Jim Carlen, a longtime college football coach, died several months later. He was 79.

He had also provided his son with a credit card with which William Carlen ran up a $200 tab at Jake's Bar & Grill in Five Points the night of the accident, the lawsuit alleged. Surveillance cameras showed Carlen visiting Jake's twice the night of Timmerman's death.

Carlen's estate agreed to pay Timmerman's estate $1.3 million. The estate will pay $275,000, with insurance companies picking up the rest.

At the time of his arrest, William Carlen had a blood alcohol content of 0.20, more than twice the legal limit, police said.

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Jim Carlen was head coach and athletic director at South Carolina from 1975 to 1981. He had earlier coached at West Virginia University and Texas Tech.

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