Several motorists called 911 after seeing the San Francisco Democrat weaving in and out of traffic on Interstate 80 and Highway 12 on May 18, 2007, in her state-issued Toyota Highlander hybrid sport utility vehicle. At one point, Migden sideswiped a guardrail on I-80 near American Canyon Road.
"She's been on the phone and reading a book, doing about 80 miles per hour," one driver said in his 911 call. "She's really scary."
Migden's drive came to an abrupt halt when she rear-ended a 2005 Honda sedan driven by Ellen Butawan, who was slowing for a red signal light at the intersection of Beck Avenue and Highway 12 in Fairfield, the California Highway Patrol said.
Butawan, now 33, who suffered minor injuries, sued the state and Migden in Solano County Superior Court last year. The state has agreed to pay $335,000 to settle the suit, said Steven Gevercer, supervising deputy attorney general.
The state defended Migden because the crash happened while she was acting within the scope of her state employment, Gevercer said.
Migden, 60, lost her seat last year to Democratic rival Mark Leno and is now on the Integrated Waste Management Board. She told officers that she remembered little of her driving spree and suggested that medication she was on for treatment of chronic leukemia might have been to blame.
CHP officials listed Migden's cell phone use as a contributing factor to the crash.
Migden's license was suspended for several months. She pleaded no contest to reckless driving, a misdemeanor, and was fined $710 and given two years of court probation.
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