No New Ford Explorer Police SUV Carbon Monoxide Trial

August 18, 2026 — A Ford Explorer carbon monoxide lawsuit is over in the case of Texas police officer Jeremy Bellamy.

In March 2021 Bellamy was in a parked 2019 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor working for the Universal City Police Department in Texas when he allegedly passed out from carbon monoxide poisoning and pneumonia.

He sued Ford for $136 million claiming defects in the police SUV allowed carbon monoxide to enter the cabin.

It took the jury three hours to return a verdict in favor of Ford, causing Bellamy to ask for a new trial.

Bellamy filed his motion for a new carbon monoxide trial by claiming an exhibit was admitted into evidence which led to the jury ruling in favor of Ford. However, the officer died days later from high blood pressure and heart disease, so his wife stepped in and appealed the court decision denying a new trial.

The district court judge found no possibility the alleged clerical mistake admitted as evidence could have had an effect on the decision in favor of Ford. This caused the officer's wife to ask the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit for a new trial which has now been denied.

While the plaintiff argued the alleged clerical error shouldn't have been seen by the jury, the appeals court saw how the lower court allowed the exhibit to be seen by the jury three times during the trial and the plaintiff never objected at that time.

The appeals court also found there was nothing defective about the Ford Explorer used by Mr. Bellamy, based on trial testimony.

The Ford Explorer Police Interceptor carbon monoxide lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas (San Antonio Division): Jeremy Bellamy v. Ford Motor Company.