Baylor University settles with student who sued after slipping, falling during Feb. 2021 ice storm

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - Baylor University has reached a settlement with a former student who sued the school after he slipped and fell during the February 2021 ice storm.

Aaron Ali, a junior history major from Grand Prairie, was seeking at least $200,000 in his lawsuit.

Judge Vicki Menard of Waco’s 414th State District Court granted Baylor’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit in July.

Ali and his attorneys, Manuel C. Maltos and Diego J. Levy, of San Antonio, appealed Menard’s ruling to Waco’s 10th Court of Appeals.

The Waco appellate court issued an opinion this week approving the parties’ joint motion for dismissal, saying “the matter has been resolved by agreement.”

Baylor officials declined comment on the resolution of the case Friday, while neither Maltos nor Levy returned phone messages.

Ali claimed in his lawsuit that he was walking on a campus sidewalk on his way to Penland Crossroads cafeteria on Feb. 15, 2021, when he slipped and fell on the icy pavement and hurt his right ankle.

“The university was aware of the dangerous conditions that were created due to the severe weather,” the lawsuit claimed. “An alert was sent out via email and classes were canceled. However, Penland Crossroads University Cafeteria remained open, and the path toward same remained available for use. It was not until after Mr. Ali’s accident that another alert went out warning the students to use extreme caution when navigating the campus. The injury occurred due to the negligence of the university.”

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