Ventura County

After losing two court battles, Pictsweet Mushroom Farm in Ventura has agreed to a judgment ordering it to obey all traffic laws and keep detailed records of its drivers' work hours.

The agreement, which follows a civil suit accusing dispatchers of keeping fatigued truck drivers on the road, was announced Tuesday by Dist. Atty. Michael D. Bradbury. Bradbury's consumer protection division filed the lawsuit last year against Pictsweet's parent company, Tennessee-based United Foods Inc.

The complaint accused the company of threatening worker safety and increasing the likelihood of traffic accidents.

Superior Court Judge Henry J. Walsh granted a preliminary injunction in April 2000 compelling the company to obey state traffic laws. That order was upheld in November by a state appeals court.

Without admitting wrongdoing, United Foods last week agreed to terms of the order. The company also agreed to pay $72,100 in civil penalties and investigative costs.