Festival of Lights lawsuit dismissed

In this December 2017 photo, Santa Claus prepares to take flight with Rudolf leading the way at the Festival of Lights at Binder Lake.
In this December 2017 photo, Santa Claus prepares to take flight with Rudolf leading the way at the Festival of Lights at Binder Lake.

A lawsuit filed against organizers of the Capital City Festival of Lights in Binder Park has been dismissed in Cole County Circuit Court.

Mary Byrd and her husband, William, of Fulton, filed the suit in February against Jeffrey Buker, executive director at Homemaker Health Care Inc., which is also named in the suit. Buker has led the efforts of volunteers to put up the lights in the park.

The Byrds claimed negligence led to her leg injury while she was going through the holiday light display in December 2017.

According to court documents, both sides in the case said the cause for the suit had been "fully compromised and settled" and that the suit should be dismissed.

Cole County Presiding Circuit Judge Pat Joyce signed off on an order of dismissal with prejudice - meaning the Byrds are barred from filing future lawsuits over the same issues.

Under the agreement, the parties are to bear their own costs.