Morgan Freeman Settles Car Crash Lawsuit

Actor Morgan Freeman today settled a lawsuit, out of court, brought against him by a woman who was a passenger in his vehicle during a 2008 car crash.

The woman, Demaris Meyer, claimed that the 72-year-old actor had been drinking on the night of the crash in Mississippi and had not been paying attention at the time of the collision, BBC News reports.

The claimant additionally complained that she was wrongly accused of breaking up Freeman's marriage; shortly after the crash, the actor announced that he and wife Myrna Colley-Lee had decided to divorce.

Meyer had sued for medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, permanent disability and property damage. Chief Judge Michael Mills of the U.S. District Court in Northern Mississippi dismissed the case on Thursday, after Meyer and Freeman reached an agreement.

Freeman's lawyer refused to disclose the terms of the settlement, but told the news source, "We're all glad it's over with."

The star of The Shawshank Redemption, who was not charged with DUI, broke his arm, elbow and shoulder in the crash.

According to the Federal Highway Administration, about 6.4 million auto accidents occurred in the United States in 2005.