Man Drops Out of Lawsuit Against City of Santa Monica, Wife Doesn't

Actor Daniel Bernhardt has dropped out as a plaintiff in a lawsuit in which his wife, "Dumb and Dumber" actress Lisa Stothard, is suing the city of Santa Monica over an ice skating collision at a city-owned seasonal rink that left her dependent on a wheelchair.

Stothard and Bernhardt filed the lawsuit last Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court. She alleges negligence and premises liability, while he sued for loss of consortium. However, an amended complaint was filed Friday in which Stothard was the only plaintiff.

The suit seeks unspecified damages. However, in a claim filed prior to the suit, Stothard's damages were listed at more than $2 million.

A representative of the Santa Monica City Attorney's Office did not reply to a request for comment.

According to the complaint, Stothard's right ankle and leg were broken in three places -- two of which were serious compound fractures -- when another skater collided with her at ICE, a downtown ice skating rink, on Jan. 18. Stothard went to the rink with her daughter, Bella, to celebrate another child's birthday, according to the suit.

Many of the skaters were children and teens who were skating at an excessive rate of speed, according to the plaintiff, which alleges city employees saw the risky skating but did nothing to stop it.

"Since the operation, (Stothard) has been unable to walk," the suit says. "She currently requires a wheelchair in order to move around her home. (She) is unable to drive or perform her duties as Bella's mother or (Bernhardt's) wife."

The 51-year-old actress, whose film credits include roles in the 1998 Angelina Jolie film "Gia" and the 1996 film "Kingpin," also suffers from flashbacks and recurring nightmares, according to her lawsuit.

Bernhardt's credits include "The Matrix Reloaded" and "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire."

--City News Service