YOUNGSTOWN — Mahoning County Probate Court Judge Robert Rusu Jr. finalized the settlement agreement reached in a civil suit filed by the family of Akil Drake, who was killed in the May 28, 2024, Realty Tower explosion.

Rusu approved most aspects of the settlement as submitted, but he refused to approve certain travel and other expenses requested by the family’s lawyers. The expenses Rusu eliminated added a little more money to the family members’ share of the $6.1 million settlement.

Drake, 27, was killed when the Realty Tower exploded while Drake was at work in the J.P. Morgan Chase Bank branch on the first floor of the Realty Tower. The explosion dropped him into the basement, where his body was found hours later.

Rusu’s Monday judgment entry approved the distribution of $2.43 million of the $6.1 million to the four law firms that represented Sharnette Crite-Evans, Drake’s mother, who filed the lawsuit in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Rusu’s ruling also finalized the net proceeds of the settlement at $3,626,562, which are being allocated half — $1,813,281 — to Drake’s family members and half to Drake’s estate. Probate Court staff explained that it is not yet determined how the $1,813,281 going into the estate will be distributed.

Rusu’s ruling stated that the $1,813,281 going into the estate “shall be considered an asset of the estate, and the fiduciary shall file a report of Newly Discovered Asset … on or before Aug. 21, 2025, to reflect the amount in the estate administration.”

Rusu’s ruling contained a chart showing that of the $1,813,281 going to Drake’s family, Crite-Evans will receive half — $906,641 — and her daughter, Traesha Pritchard, will receive 40% — $723,312.

Drake’s paternal grandparents, Stephen and Donna Drake of Pittsburgh will receive 1.5%– $27,199 each; and Drake’s seven paternal half siblings will get 1% — $18,132 each. They are Taynnaza Drake, Ashanti Dolby, Noaih Drake, Gavin Drake, Darius Drake and Stephen Drake III, all of Pittsburgh; and Yemara Tune of Manor, Texas.

The ruling allowed the four firms representing Crite-Evans in the lawsuit to be reimbursed $43,438 for expenses in the litigation, in addition to their legal fees of $2.4 million.

The four firms had asked to be reimbursed $59,449 for expenses, but Rusu stated at a July 18 hearing that he does not award travel expenses to attorneys in such matters, saying attorney travel expenses are “part of the cost of doing business” and noted that the attorneys were being paid 40% of the settlement amount. He reiterated that stance in his judgment entry when he reduced the total of expenses by $1,601.

The ruling confirmed the amount the four law firms will be paid: Clark, Fountain, Littky-Rubin & Whitman LLP being paid $1,001,160; the law firm of Patrick McFarland getting $517,590; the Adler Law PLLC getting $455,625; and the firm of Ginnis, Krathen & Zelnick, P.A., getting $455,625. That totals $2.43 million.

The ruling confirmed the settlement regarding the amounts the defendants in the lawsuit will pay: Yo Properties 47 LLC, LY Property Management LLC and Greenheart Companies LLC, $3 million and the Enbridge-East Ohio Gas-Dominion-related companies, $2.9 million. A. Nieder Architecture and MS Consultants agreed to pay $100,000 each.