A Jefferson County police officer reinstated more than two years after he was fired following the death of an intoxicated man in the back of his police cruiser has received more than $91,000 in back pay and compensation.

The Punxsutawney council voted to award Detective Brian Andrekovich lost wages plus interest and other expenses last week, but didn't disclose the amount.


According to The Associated Press, The Punxsutawney Spirit reported the amount Wednesday after filing a Right-to-Know request in the case.


Andrekovich was fired in November 2009, about three months after 48-year-old Stephen Obbish died of drug and alcohol toxicity. Obbish died about five hours after he was arrested for public drunkenness.


A civil service panel ordered Andrekovich reinstated after the state attorney general determined it wouldn't bring criminal charges in Obbish's death.


Andrekovich was rehired in January.

Punxsutawney resident Anna Wagner told 6News on Wednesday night that she was disgusted by the handling of the case from the start and is disappointed with the latest decision.

"I couldn't believe that they did that. It's just like leaving a child in a closed up car,” said Wagner. "I'm really disappointed. I thought he should have been fired with no pay. Definitely no lawsuits, we can't afford to spend our tax dollars that way."

Brittany James said that she doesn’t not agree with all aspects of the settlement, but told 6News that both families have suffered in the drawn-out case that keeps being brought back up.

"For there to be compensation on his lost wages and interest on that, that seems like that's a little bit much. I haven't heard anything about the victim’s family being compensated in any way,” "Officer Andrekovich's family even has suffered, because he hasn't had this job and he's had this horrible stigma against him. It's terrible that people thought he was a killer; that he intentionally would leave someone there to die."

Attorney Susan Mahood told 6News by phone on Wednesday that there are no plans on dropping her clients lawsuit and that several motions are currently going through U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.