AELE LAW LIBRARY OF CASE SUMMARIES:
Civil Liability of
Law Enforcement Agencies & Personnel
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Pursuits - Law Enforcement
See also: Negligence: Vehicle Related
Monthly Law Journal Article: Civil Liability for Police Pursuit
Driving (I), 2007 (2) AELE Mo. L. J. 101. [Feb. 2007].
Monthly Law Journal Article: Civil Liability for
Law Enforcement Pursuit Driving (II): Scott v. Harris, 2007 (6) AELE
Mo. L.J. 101.
Monthly Law Journal Article: Shooting
at Moving Vehicles, 2010 (9) AELE Mo. L. J. 101
A police officer was not entitled to qualified immunity in a federal civil rights lawsuit claiming that he used excessive force in shooting and severely injuring the plaintiff after a slow-speed car pursuit. The officer did not have an objectively reasonable belief that the plaintiff presented a risk of serious physical harm either to him or to others, including other officers present, in which case the right not to be subjected to the use of deadly force was clearly established. The court noted that he never targeted officers with his vehicle or forced other vehicles off the road. In addition, he traveled at normal speeds and stopped at traffic lights and stop signs throughout the pursuit. Orn v. City of Tacoma, #18-35379, 2020 U.S. App. Lexis 3222, 2020 WL 524787 (9th Cir.).
A man died in an accident after he drove his motorcycle into a criminal district attorney investigator’s SUV at the conclusion of a high-speed pursuit. The motorcyclist had been pursued after he was observed speeding and weaving in and out of traffic. His estate sued, claiming that he had been seized in violation of the Fourth Amendment. A federal appeals court held that the investigator was entitled to qualified immunity. The court ruled that the plaintiff failed to identify precedent rendering it beyond debate that any reasonable officer would know, even in only seven seconds, and even in the midst of a high-speed chase, that the investigator’s rolling block of the motorcycle violated the Fourth Amendment. To the extent that the court could identify clearly established law in excessive force cases, it supported the investigator rather than the decedent. Morrow v. Meachum, #17-11243, 916 F.3d 676 (5th Cir. 2019).
A female motorist passed a state trooper’s marked vehicle. The trooper checked and discovered that the vehicle’s registration was expired and began a traffic stop, activating his emergency lights, spotlight, and sirens, and recording the incident on his dash-cam. The driver decelerated and pulled onto a narrow and unlit shoulder before returning to the road and accelerating to 35-38 mph, a speed maintained for the rest of the pursuit. When she continued past the last exit before the nearest city, the trooper initiated a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver, striking her right-rear fender with his left-front bumper, which caused her car to spin into a ditch, hitting a cement culvert. The motorist and her child were treated at a hospital and released. She was given citations for misdemeanors of expired tags and failure to yield to an emergency vehicle. A federal appeals court ruled that the trooper was entitled to qualified immunity on excessive force claims. The right to be free from a PIT maneuver in these circumstances was not clearly established. From a reasonable officer’s perspective, the motorist refused to comply with commands to pull over. At the time, the trooper was justified in using some force to secure compliance. Moore-Jones v. Quick, #18-1045, 2018 U.S. App. Lexis 33339 (8th Cir.).
A married couple were driving south on a highway. An officer on patrol was traveling in the same direction. The officer observed a traffic offense committed by a driver in the northbound lane, and he turned around to pursue that car, allegedly at speeds of over 100 miles-per-hour. Several people observed him driving recklessly. He lost control while negotiating a curve. His vehicle then spun around, crossed the centerline into southbound traffic, and crashed into the couple’s car, seriously injuring the husband and killing the wife. The officer later pled guilty to vehicular homicide, which requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt of reckless or grossly negligent driving, and reckless endangerment. The husband, individually and as administrator of his wife’s estate, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit alleging a “state-created danger” theory of liability. A federal appeals court overturned the denial of the defendant’s motion for dismissal based on qualified immunity. It was not clearly established at the time of the incident that the officer’s conduct, as alleged in the complaint, could give rise to constitutional liability under the Fourteenth Amendment. The court stated, however, that it hoped to establish clear law with its opinion. Sauers v. Borough of Nesquehoning, #17-1591, 2018 U.S. App. Lexis 27890 (3rd Cir.).
Rather than submit to an officer armed
with an arrest warrant, a man drove off in his car, leading officers on a
high-speed chase. The pursued man twice called police dispatch, claiming that
he had a gun and threatening to shoot the officers. The dispatcher broadcast
these threats and the possibility that the motorist might be intoxicated. A
tire spike strip was placed beneath a highway overpass in an attempt to stop
the pursued vehicle. A state trooper drover to that location, radioing a plan
to shoot and disable the car. He later spotted the vehicle and fired six shots.
The car engaged the spikes, hit the median, and rolled. The motorist was killed
by the trooper's shots. No shots hit the car's engine block, radiator, or hood.
The U.S. Supreme Court reversed a denial of qualified immunity to the trooper
on an excessive force claim. The Court did no address whether firing at the
vehicle in this manner under these circumstances was a Fourth Amendment
violation, but rather ruled that the trooper was entitled to qualified immunity
because prior precedents did not indicate that it was "beyond debate"
that he acted unreasonably. He had confronted a fugitive that was reported to
be intoxicated, who was trying to evade arrest through a high-speed car flight,
and who had twice threatened to shoot officers. At the time of the shooting,
the vehicle was moments away from reaching the trooper's location. Mullenix v.
Luna, #14-1143, 2015 U.S. Lexis 7160.
Because of
genuine disputed issues of material fact, a Texas state trooper who shot and
killed a driver during a high-speed chase was not entitled to qualified
immunity as a matter of law. At the time the driver was shot from a bridge in
his approaching vehicle, the risk posed by his flight was disputed. Based on
the evidence, a reasonable jury could conclude that he did not pose a
substantial and immediate risk, since traffic on the divided highway at the
time was light, non-lethal methods of stopping him that had already been
prepared were not given a chance to work, and there were no pedestrians,
businesses, or residences along the highway there. The fact that the driver had
previously threatened to shoot the officers did not establish that he posed an
immediate risk at the time that he was shot. Luna v. Texas Dept. of Public
Safety, #13-10899, 2014 U.S. App. Lexis 16785 (5th Cir.).
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that officers did not
use excessive force when they shot the driver of a vehicle fleeing from a
traffic stop to end a dangerous high-speed car chase. Both the driver and his
passenger died. While the Court ruled that this conduct did not violate the
Fourth Amendment, even if it had, the officers were entitled to qualified
immunity when no cases were cited that clearly established the
unconstitutionality of using deadly force to end a high-speed car chase. Firing
a total of 15 shots during the 10-second span was reasonable when the driver
never abandoned his attempt to flee. While ordinarily, a trial court order
denying summary judgment is not a final decision and therefore not immediately
appealable, a denial based on a qualified immunity claim can be immediately
appealed, and therefore the federal appeals court had jurisdiction to hear the
appeal, but erroneously did not grant the officers qualified immunity. Plumhoff
v. Rickard, #12-1117, 2014 U.S. Lexis 3816.
The estate of a pursued motorist who died when
his vehicle veered off the road during a high speed pursuit claimed that the
defendant officer used excessive force by intentionally colliding with the decedent's
car during the chase. The officer's motion for summary judgment was upheld,
based on the testimony of three expert witnesses who said that the scratches on
the officer's car did not match those on the decedent's car and that no
reasonable jury could conclude that the police car had actually collided with
the decedent's vehicle. Wourms v. Fields, #13-1178, 2014 U.S. App. Lexis 2221
(7th Cir.).
A sheriff's deputy, responding to a request from
a 16-year-old boy's mother, sought to locate him after he left home in the
family vehicle and try to bring him into custody. When he spotted the boy in
the car, a high speed pursuit occurred, reaching 99 miles per hour. The boy's
car veered off the road and rolled over, ejecting the by, who subsequently died.
In a lawsuit against the deputy and the county by the boy's parents, the Utah
Supreme Court overturned summary judgment for the deputy on a negligence claim,
finding that officers engaged in a pursuit owe a duty of care to all person,
even including fleeing suspects. The court did, however, uphold summary
judgment for the county. Torrie v. Weber County, #2012-0500, 2013 UT 48, 2013
Utah Lexis 120.
A deputy pursued a motorcycle he observed
speeding after it failed to stop when he asked it to. Ultimately, the pursued
motorcycle crashed and the deputy found it off the pavement. The motorcyclist
died from injuries suffered in the accident. Upholding summary judgment for the
deputy and the county, the court found no evidence to support the argument that
the deputy's actions caused the motorcyclist to lose control of his vehicle.
There was nothing to show that the deputy's vehicle was anywhere near the
motorcycle at the time of the accident. Nor was there any evidence of a
physical crash between the motorcycle and the deputy's vehicle. A
reconstruction of the accident also seemed to support the conclusion that speed
did not cause the crash. Estate of Smith v. Cumberland County, #12-10, 2013 ME
13, 2013 Me. Lexis 13.
A woman seriously injured when struck by a
vehicle driven by a drug suspect being chased at high speed by officers could
not recover damages from the city or its personnel for negligence. The woman
was standing behind a car struck by the suspect's vehicle, and lost her left
leg as a result. An intermediate Minnesota Appeals court ruled that the
defendants were entitled to official immunity under state law for the exercise
of discretion in deciding whether or not to initiate and continue the pursuit
of a suspect attempting to flee arrest for a serious drug felony. There was no
evidence that the officers acted willfully or maliciously, which would have
defeated their official immunity defense. Plaster v. City of St. Paul, #
A10-1738, (Minn. App.).
A highway patrol officer was entitled to qualified
immunity for shooting and killing a female motorist who had, shortly before,
led officers on a high-speed chase, and who appeared to him to be trying to use
her car as a weapon against other officers. No prior case law would have put
him on notice that using deadly force under these circumstances would shock the
conscience, Casey v. Markgraf (In re A.D.), #09-16460, 636 F.3d 555 (9th Cir.
2011).
In a lawsuit over a deputy's shooting and killing
of an unarmed motorist following a high-speed pursuit, the trial court acted
erroneously in denying a number of defendants summary judgment on the
plaintiffs' inadequate training claims. Other than "bare assertions"
by the plaintiffs, there was "not a scintilla" of proof that the defendants
acted with deliberate indifference and thereby created a training program so
deficient that it caused the motorist's death. Harvey v. Campbell County,
#09-5041, 2011 U.S. App. Lexis 9656 (Unpub. 6th Cir.).
A California Highway Patrol officer was entitled
to qualified immunity for shooting and killing a female motorist at the
conclusion of a high-speed pursuit of an allegedly stolen vehicle. The motorist
refused to surrender, yelled obscenities at the officer, and put the car into
reverse to ram the police car several times. The officer feared that the
motorist would run over other officers present at the scene. While the jury, in
awarding damages to the woman's minor children, decided that the officer had
acted with a purpose to cause the motorist harm unrelated to a legitimate law
enforcement purpose, the federal appeals court found that "the question is
not whether an objectively reasonable officer would believe it was
constitutional to harm without a legitimate law enforcement objective, but
whether such an officer would believe, in the circumstances" faced, that
"a legitimate law enforcement objective existed." No prior case law
"would have alerted him that his split-second decision in dealing with
someone who had just led police on a dangerous high-speed chase and who was
using her car as a weapon shocked the conscience." A. D. v. State of
California Highway Patrol, #09-17635, 2011 U.S. App. Lexis 6906 (9th Cir.).
An officer in Delaware engaged in a high-speed
chase of carjackers that ended when the suspects struck and killed another
motorist after going through a red light. In a lawsuit against the city and
police department, as well as the officer, by the deceased motorist's estate,
the Supreme Court of Delaware reversed summary judgment for the defendants. It
found that a reasonable juror, based on the alleged facts, could have found
that the pursuing officer had been grossly negligent in beginning, conducting,
or terminating the pursuit, and had caused the motorists' death. The court
found that it could not hold, as a matter of law, that under no circumstances
could a jury have found the defendants liable. Jones v. Crawford, #481, 2009,
2010 Del. Lexis 359.
A police officer, in driving the police vehicle
which struck the decedent's car in an intersection did not act so egregiously,
outrageously, or conscience-shocking, in particular, he did not act with the
intent to harm the decedent or harm her passenger, which was the applicable
standard for civil rights liability, when the officer was responding to an emergency
at the time, a 911 call reporting an assault and theft in a parking lot by two
men posing as store security guards. Sitzes v. City of W. Memphis, #09-2090,
2010 U.S. App. Lexis 11355 (8th Cir.).
During a high-speed chase, two armed robbery suspects
extinguished their car's headlights, and two miles later collided with a
motorist turning into a gas station while on his way to work, who died in the
accident. The motorist's widow sued, arguing that the pursuing officers
violated her husband's substantive due process rights by maintaining the
pursuit after the suspects turned off their headlights. Granting the officers
qualified immunity, the appeals court found that their conduct did not
"shock the conscience" because their alleged violations of departmental
policy were not clear, and the armed robbery crime was a serious offense.
Furthermore, even if it was found that their actions violated the decedent's
constitutional rights, those rights were not "clearly established" at
the time of the incident. Jones v. Byrnes, #08-1889, 2009 U.S. App. Lexis 24476
(6th Cir.).
Late at night, a police officer pulled his
vehicle behind a motorcyclist traveling at 43 miles per hour in a 30
mile-per-hour zone. The motorcyclist increased his speed to elude the officer,
and a ten-minute chase ensued, reaching speeds near 90 miles-per-hour. The
motorcyclist lost control of his vehicle and crashed, suffering injuries.
Rejecting claims that the officers acted with reckless disregard for safety, an
intermediate New York appellate court ruled that the accident and the
motorcyclist's injuries were caused by his own actions, not the police
decisions to begin or continue pursuit. Greenawalt v Village of Cambridge,
#506616, 2009 N.Y. App. Div. Lexis 7963 (3rd Dept.).
Relatives of a motorist shot and killed by a
police officer at the conclusion of a vehicular pursuit sued the officer and
city for excessive use of force. During the pursuit, the motorist had run a red
light, tried to ram a police vehicle, and drove on the wrong side of a highway.
The officer was attempting to deploy drop sticks, and the motorist then swerved
his vehicle towards him. This was followed by the officer firing four or five
times, striking the motorist in the back of the head and killing him. Affirming
summary judgment for both the officer and the city, a federal appeals court
first stated that the facts hypothetically could constitute an excessive use of
force if, as the defendants accepted for purposes of appeal, the officer did
not face immediate danger and no innocent bystanders were nearby. Qualified
immunity, however, was still proper for the officer, since he did not act
unreasonably in believing that the potential danger to others justified the use
of deadly force under the circumstances. There was no showing of a policy or
custom of the city causing the death as required for municipal liability.
Cordova v. Aragon, #08-1222, 2009 U.S. App. Lexis 13043 (10th Cir.).
A police officer was entitled to qualified
immunity for allegedly terminating the threat posed by an intoxicated driver he
was chasing at high speed down a rural narrow curvy highway by bumping his
vehicle from behind, sending it off the road into a ravine. The motorist
subsequently died from resulting injuries. The fact that the officer may have
violated department policy or a radioed order from a supervisor to terminate
the chase did not alter the determination that his actions did not violate
clearly established law for purposes of qualified immunity or that his actions
were reasonable under the circumstances. "Stuck between the choice of
letting a presumptively intoxicated and reckless driver continue unabated or
bumping the suspect off the road," the court stated, the officer
"chose the course of action that would potentially save the lives of
individuals who had no part in creating the danger." The court also
pointed to the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Scott v. Harris, #05-1631, 550
U.S. 372 (2007), that "a police officer's attempt to terminate a dangerous
high-speed car chase that threatens the lives of innocent bystanders does not
violate the Fourth Amendment, even when it places the fleeing motorist at risk
of serious injury or death." Scott, however, was not determinative in the
immediate court's ruling, as it was decided after the chase at issue, which
occurred in 2000. The fact that the officer only raised the qualified immunity
defense fifty-two months after the lawsuit was filed, the appeals court held,
did not prejudice the plaintiff when it was still two months before the close
of discovery and six months before a pre-trial conference. Pasco v. Knoblauch,
No. 08-60242, 2009 U.S. App. Lexis 9448 (5th Cir.).
A videotape of an incident in which police broke
a motorist's leg while removing him from his vehicle following a chase through
a residential area showed that the officers acted reasonably, and did not use
excessive force. The officers acted in order to neutralize what they reasonably
perceived as a threat after the motorist fled from an officer's vehicular
pursuit and then apparently refused orders to leave the vehicle at the end of
the chase. Although the chase began over an expired license, the motorist's
behavior justified the officer's suspicion that he was dangerous. Rejecting the
arrestee's argument that the jury should determine, from the videotape,
recorded from an officer's car, whether or not the force used was excessive,
the court noted that the U.S. Supreme Court, in similar circumstances,
instructed federal courts to determine, as a matter of law, from watching such
videotapes, whether the force depicted was excessive, taking the evidence in
the light most favorable to the arrestee. Dunn v. Matatall, No. 08-1094, 2008
U.S. App. Lexis 24305 (6th Cir.).
The U.S. government and a capitol police officer
were sued under the Federal Tort Claims Act for negligence in attempting a
traffic stop, followed by a high-speed chase of a stolen car, ending in a
crash. A car crash victim and the father of a deceased victim of the crash
claimed that the victims had accepted a ride in the stolen vehicle unknowingly,
shortly after it had been acquired in an armed carjacking. The court held that
applicable standard under the FTCA was local laws concerning vehicular
negligence applying to private citizens, not to government employees, and that,
under that standard, the plaintiffs had alleged sufficient facts to state a
claim for negligence under District of Columbia law. Lee v. U.S.A., Civil
Action No. 06-2184, 2008 U.S. Dist. Lexis 62047 (D. Ok.).
A police officer struck and killed a pedestrian
with his vehicle while responding to a non-emergency call. A federal appeals
court found that this incident, while "tragic," only involved, at
most, negligence or gross negligence, but was insufficient to show a violation
of constitutional substantive due process rights, regardless of whether an
intent-to-harm standard (used for chases) or a lower standard of deliberate
indifference was used. The officer in this case did exceed the speed limit but
failed to act with a "recklessness" sufficient to breach a
constitutional duty. Daniels v. City of Dallas, No. 07-10883, 2008 U.S. App.
Lexis 6619 (5th Cir.).
A deputy sheriff pursued a car traveling 73
miles per hour in a 55 mph zone, and the motorist accelerated to speeds in
excess of 85 mph. After ten miles and six minutes of pursuit, the deputy tried
to use a precision intervention technique to stop the pursued vehicle but wound
up applying his push bumper to the rear of the pursued car. The pursued car
crashed, and the motorist was rendered a quadriplegic. Negligence and battery
claims under Georgia state law were rejected on the basis of the plaintiff's
failure to show that the deputy or other defendants had an "actual
intent" to cause injury or acted with malice. Harris v. Coweta County,
Ga., No. 07-13941, 2008 U.S. App. Lexis 353 (11th Cir.).
Police officers involved in high-speed pursuits
are entitled to qualified immunity in all cases unless it can be shown that
they acted with a deliberate intent to harm those injured in the incident. The
chase in this case lasted over an hour, covered almost 90 minutes, and involved
at least a dozen units and a helicopter. A motorist who saw the pursuit moved
to avoid the police vehicles, and they safely passed him, but minutes later,
the defendant officer, who was joining the pursuit, approached, traveling
almost 100 miles per hour, and his vehicle's tires slipped from under him, and
he sideswiped the motorist's vehicle. Both vehicles then spun out of control,
and the motorist suffered injuries. In this case, the defendant officer did not
act with any intent to harm or any motivation other than doing his job,
attempting to catch a fleeing suspect who was a danger to the community. The
court ruled that the "intent to harm" standard applies to all
high-speed chases, not only those which involve "emergencies" or
"split-second decisions." Bingue v. Prunchak, No. 05-16388, 2008 U.S.
App. Lexis 805 (9th Cir.).
City was not liable for personal injuries
suffered by motorist when his vehicle was struck by another car that was being
pursued by police, since there was no evidence that officers acted in a willful
and wanton manner. The officers pursued the vehicle after finding that the
license plates on it belonged to another car. The appeals court found that it
was undisputed that traffic was light, the roads were dry, and the weather was
clear at the time. The mere fact that the police vehicle was proceeding at a
high speed was insufficient to show willful and wanton conduct. Shuttlesworth
v. The City of Chicago, No. 1063433 2007 Ill. App. Lexis 1160 (1st Dist).
Federal ranger's actions in engaging in a high
speed chase of a fleeing vehicle did not result in the U.S. government being
liable under the Federal Tort Claims Act, 28 U.S.C. Sec. 1346(b)(1) for the
death of a passenger in the pursued vehicle. A federal appeals court ruled
that, as a matter of law, the passenger's death was caused by the behavior of
the driver of the pursued vehicle and not the actions of the ranger. There was
no evidence that would show that the pursuit was not necessary, that the ranger
hit the fleeing vehicle, or that there was a roadblock. Additionally, because
the offender sped off quickly, the ranger was unable to obtain the license
plate number of the pursued vehicle, so there was no evidence that the fleeing
offender could simply be apprehended at a later time. Belew v. U.S.A., No.
07-12881, 2007 U.S. App. Lexis 24461 (11th Cir.).
Officer who allegedly did not use lights and a
siren or summon assistance when engaging in the high-speed pursuit of a vehicle
was not liable for injuries suffered by a passenger in a car struck by the
pursued vehicle. The officer, the court found, did not create the danger that
resulted in the plaintiff's injuries, and he did not engage in conduct that
shocked the conscience. Rhoten v. Pase, No. 06-3346, 2007 U.S. App. Lexis 24796
(10th Cir.).
A deputy responded to a complaint about a
suspicious vehicle driving up and down a street and stopping in front of home.
The deputy saw the vehicle and followed it, but lost sight of it. The following
morning, a 16-year-old male was found dead from a single-vehicle accident
involving a collision of his car with a utility pole at approximately 100 miles
per hour. A federal appeals court ruled that the deputy's actions were
legitimate law enforcement activity designed to identify a suspicious vehicle,
and did not violate the youth's constitutional rights. Additionally, rejecting
a state law negligence claim, the court found that there was no indication that
the deputy's actions caused the youth to flee in a manner that caused the
accident. O'Neal v. Cazes, No. 06-31004, 2007 U.S. App. Lexis 23011 (5th Cir.).
Even if officers chasing a vehicle driven by an
intoxicated driver intentionally caused a collision which resulted in the
pursued truck flipping over, killing the driver, they did not violate the
driver's Fourth Amendment constitutional rights. The driver had allegedly
stolen beer from a store after the store refused to sell it to him because of
his intoxicated condition. The use of deadly force against the intoxicated
driver was justified after he refused to stop, weaving in and out of traffic,
crossing the center lane of the highway, and traveling at 55 to 65 miles per hour,
as well as continuing to evade the officers even after he collided with another
motorist. Based on the driver's recklessness, he posed a threat to the safety
of other motorists. Beshers v. Harrison, No. 05-17096, 2007 U.S. App. Lexis
19289 (11th Cir.).
City and officer were not liable for the death of
two passengers killed in a collision with a vehicle being pursued at high speed
by a city policy officer. Even if the officer may have violated the city's
pursuit policy, her actions did not indicate that she had an intent to harm the
decedents or the occupants of the pursued vehicle or that her actions
"shocked the conscience." Meals v. City of Memphis, No. 05-5953,
05-5974, 2007 U.S. App. Lexis 16386 (6th Cir.).
A deputy's conduct was objectively reasonable
when he pursued a motorcyclist who refused to stop in response to his flashing
blue lights and siren, with the eight-mile pursuit resulting in a collision
which caused the death of the motorcycle rider. His actions in pursuing the
motorcyclist, who was under the influence of methamphetamine, and who was
observed crossing double yellow lines while passing a vehicle on a curve, were
necessary to respond to a situation putting other motorists at risk of harm.
Abney v. Coe, No. 06-1607, 2007 U.S. App. Lexis 15841 (4th Cir.).
After an officer stopped a vehicle whose license
plate was falling off, the driver drove away, resulting in a chase, and in the
first 30 seconds of that chase, the pursued motorist's vehicle crossed the
median strip and struck another car, killing one occupant and severely injuring
two others. Upholding summary judgment for the county and its chief of police,
a federal appeals court found that the plaintiffs failed to prove that the
officer's actions caused the accident, death, and injuries. The court reasoned
that it was possible that the pursued motorist would have crossed to median
strip in trying to pass slower moving cars even in the absence of the officer's
pursuit. While the plaintiffs argued that the county had not properly trained
its officers, and had a policy amounting to "pursue at all costs,"
which failed to provide consideration to the safety of the public, an
examination into county policy would only be relevant if a constitutional
violation were first found. The court found no violation of the constitutional
due process rights of the occupants of the vehicle hit by the pursued motorist.
Best v. Cobb County, Georgia, No. 07-11007, 2007 U.S. App. Lexis 15877 (11th
Cir.).
City was entitled to summary judgment in lawsuit
concerning injuries suffered by a bystander in a crash at the conclusion of the
police pursuit of a stolen vehicle following an aggravated robbery and car
jacking. The city's evidence addressed the role of each officer and how they
assessed both the need for the pursuit and the risk factors involved in
conducting the pursuit, while the plaintiff's evidence, testimony of an expert
witness, assessed the risks of the pursuit, but never addressed the factor of
the need for the pursuit. There was sufficient undisputed evidence that the
officers had acted in good faith, and the plaintiff failed to show that no
reasonably prudent officer could have assessed the need and risks as the police
officers did in this case. The Texas Supreme Court entered a judgment
dismissing the case. City of San Antonio v. Ytuarte, No. 05-0991, 2007 Tex.
Lexis 411 (Tex.).
In a lawsuit brought over the death of a pursued
motorcycle rider and serious injuries suffered by his passenger, the appeals
court upheld summary judgment for the pursuing officers, the city, and the
police department on a federal civil rights claim. There was no evidence that
there was any contact between an officer's car and the motorcycle, and no
evidence that the officers acted in a manner which was shocking to the
conscience and intended to cause harm which was unrelated to a legitimate
government interest. Steen v. Myers, No. 06-1771, 2007 U.S. App. Lexis 11887
(7th Cir.).
An officer did not violate the Fourth Amendment
by trying to terminate a high-speed pursuit when it appeared to threaten the
lives of by-standers, even when the manner of doing so involved placing the
fleeing motorist at a risk of death or serious bodily injury. Scott v. Harris,
No. 05-1631, 2007 U.S. Lexis 4748 Factual issues
as to whether a police officer intentionally bumped a motorist's car during a
high-speed chase and caused his death required the reversal of a summary
judgment for the officer in a civil rights lawsuit over the death. Pasco v.
Knoblauch, No. 06-60059, 2007 U.S. App. Lexis 5742 (5th Cir.).
In a lawsuit over the death of a pedestrian hit
by a police car during a high-speed pursuit, the city was entitled to immunity
from liability under a California state statute, Vehicle Code Sec. 17004.7,
providing immunity to public agencies that adopt written policies to guide such
pursuits. Alcala v. City of Corcoran, No F049383, 2007 WL 316685 (Cal. 5th App.
Dist.). [N/R]
County and police officer were not liable for
death of passenger in vehicle that was followed for 15 miles at speeds of over
100 miles per hour without the officer's unmarked vehicle having its siren
activated. During the pursuit, various traffic laws were disobeyed, and the
passenger's death occurred when the car in which he was riding crashed. Because
the officer lacked any intent to harm the occupants of the pursued vehicle, the
high-speed pursuit did not violate the Fourteenth Amendment. White v. Polk
County, No. 06-12975, 2006 U.S. App. Lexis 29312 (11th Cir.). [N/R]
Police officer was not negligent in pursuing a
vehicle which subsequently struck another car and injured the driver, but,
under a Nebraska state statute, the city was strictly liable for damages
suffered under these circumstances. The city, however, was entitled to deduct
from its liability the amount of insurance payments received by the injured
motorist. McGrath v. City of Omaha, No. S-04-1239, 713 N.W.2d 451 (Neb. 2006).
[N/R]
Police officers had a non-discretionary duty
under their department's pursuit policy to discontinue the vehicular pursuit of
a suspect whose identity was known, in the absence of specified serious
felonies, and were therefore not entitled to official immunity under Minnesota
law for failing to discontinue their pursuit in a lawsuit brought by the widow
of a pedestrian killed as a result of the pursuit. Mumm v. Mornson, #A04-729,
708 N.W.2d 473 (Minn. 2006). [N/R]
Deputy sheriff did not act with reckless
disregard for safety when he joined a high-speed pursuit of a motorist behind
two other police vehicles, and the pursued car collided with another driver.
There was no indication that the pursued suspect even knew that there was a
third police vehicle chasing him. There was also no evidence that the pursued
motorist's conduct change after the third police vehicle joined the chase, so
this deputy was properly granted summary judgment. Athay v. Stacey, #31164, 128
P.3d 897 (Idaho 2006). [N/R]
Counties, cities, villages, and their employees
were entitled to immunity under the Local Governmental and Governmental
Employees Tort Immunity Act, 745 ILCS 10/1-101 et seq. on claims that they
failed to respond to a caller's report that a driver's vehicle left the road
and was currently in a ditch. The statute provides immunity on claims for failing
to adequately provide "police protection services," and applies to
claims concerning the failure to aid motorists who have gone off a road. DeSmet
v. County of Rock Island, No. 100261, 848 N.E.2d 1030 (Ill. 2006). [N/R]
Indiana Tort Claims Act did not provide
governmental immunity to officer or city for the officer's purported negligent
operation of his car against a red light while engaged in pursuing a suspect,
resulting in injuries to another motorist. Patrick v. Miresso, No.
45803-0505-CV-223, 848 N.E.2d 1083 (Ind. 2006). [N/R]
Genuine issue of whether police vehicles actually
blocked traffic going northbound on a road during a high speed chase, resulting
in injuries to a motorist, barred summary judgment for defendants in negligence
lawsuit. Charles County Commissioners v. Johnson, No. 104, 900 A.2d 753 (Md.
2006). [N/R]
Regardless of police officer's subjective motive
in attempting a traffic stop of a teenage driver, his decision to make the
stop, and to engage in a high-speed pursuit when the driver refused to pull
over and sped off, did not shock the conscience. The officer, police chief, and
town were not liable for the driver's subsequent death when he lost control of
his car during the chase. Graves v. Thomas, No. 05-7084, 2006 U.S. App. Lexis
15174 (10th Cir.). [2006 LR Aug]
Upholding a jury award against a city in a case
where a motorist was injured from a collision with a police cruiser engaged in
a high speed pursuit, a Maryland appeals court ruled that a police department
order stating that, during such pursuits, officers were required to bring their
vehicles to a full stop when they crossed an intersection against traffic
control devices was admissible evidence. The court also found that the jury in
the case had properly been instructed that the officer was bound by the
department order and that it could consider the order when deciding whether the
officer acted in a reasonable manner. Baltimore v. Hart, 891 A.2d 1134 (Md.
App. 2006). [N/R]
Officer was entitled to official immunity under
Georgia state law from liability for injuries to three passengers and death of
driver in vehicle struck by car fleeing from him during high-speed pursuit. The
officer's decision to engage in the chase was discretionary, and there was no evidence
that the officer went beyond the scope of that discretion by any wrongful act
or any intention to cause harm to the deceased motorist or his passengers.
Hanse v. Phillips, No. A05A0955, 623 S.E.2d 746 (Ga. App. 2005). [N/R]
Police officer was not liable in a federal civil
rights lawsuit for either death of child passenger in vehicle pursued after it
fled license checkpoint or injuries to passengers in car struck by pursued
vehicle when he was only attempting to seize the driver of the fleeing car, did
not know the child was in the pursued vehicle, and the collision was an
unintended consequence of the pursuit. Sanders v. City of Union Springs, No.
2:04-cv-757, 405 F. Supp. 2d 1358 (M.D. Ala. 2005). [N/R]
Officer who pursued motorist into crowded
downtown area could not be held liable for injuries pedestrian suffered when
pursued driver took his car onto the sidewalk. Officer, who did not even exceed
the speed limit while following the car, could not be said to have acted in a
willful and wanton manner under Illinois law, as required for liability. Wade
v. City of Chicago, No. 1-04-0642, 2006 Ill. App. Lexis 201. [2006 LR May]
Officer failed to show that he pursued a suspect
in good faith during a high speed chase, as required for an official immunity
defense under Texas state law in a lawsuit filed by a motorist whose car was
struck by the pursued suspect's vehicle. The officer, in his summary judgment
affidavit did not state any facts to show that he assessed the risk of harm to
members of the public if he continued his pursuit. Conklin v. Garrett, No.
12-04-00344-CV, 179 S.W.2d 626 (Tex. App. 12th Tyler 2005). [N/R]
Officer's action of conducting a high-speed
pursuit of a speeding motorist constituted a "method of providing law enforcement"
coming within an exception to state liability under the Georgia Tort Claims
Act, Ga. Code Ann. Sec. 50-21-24(6), so there was no liability for the Georgia
Department of Public Safety for injuries a motorist suffered in a collision
with the vehicle being pursued by a state highway patrolman. The argument that
the patrolman had violated written procedures and a state statute in engaging
in the pursuit did not alter the result. Blackston v. Georgia Department of
Public Safety, No. A05A1319, 618 S.E.2d 78 (Ga. App. 2005). [N/R]
Officers did not use excessive force in
pulling motorist from his vehicle and handcuffing him at the conclusion of a
thirty-minute pursuit after observing his erratic driving. Officers could
reasonably have believed he was intoxicated, and was uncooperative, and their
actions were "measured" under the circumstances, as they did not then
know that he was undergoing diabetic shock rather than intoxication. Janis v.
Biesheuvel, No. 05-1660, 2005 U.S. App. Lexis 22991 (8th Cir.). [2005 LR Dec]
Officers who shot at car containing suspect
attempting to flee from service of felony drug arrest warrant were not liable
for subsequent death of one of his passengers and serious injuries to another
when his car later crashed into a wall. The cause of the death and injuries was
the suspect's decision to flee, not the officers' use of deadly force. Shooting
at the suspect was reasonable when an officer believed that the suspect was
trying to run him over. Troupe v. Sarasota County, Fla., #04-10550, 419 F.3d
1160 (11th Cir. 2005). [2005 LR Dec]
The question of whether a police high-speed chase of a
stolen tow truck was reasonable was for a jury, and expert testimony was not
required to determine whether the officers acted in reckless disregard for the
safety of others in chasing the vehicle, which collided with a car, seriously
injuring one of the occupants. Issues of highway safety and traffic laws were
not matters outside of the common knowledge of the jury. New trial ordered on plaintiff's
claims, overturning trial court's judgment as a matter of law for the
defendants. Seide v. State of Rhode Island, No. 2003-521, 875 A.2d 1259 (R.I.
2005). [N/R]
Police officer was engaged in attempting to
enforce the law when he pursued a van whose driver he suspected was drunk,
which resulted in the pursued van colliding with another motorist's vehicle,
causing the driver's death. Under these circumstances, the officer, police
department and town were immune from liability under Indiana state law.
Chenoweth v. Estate of Wilson, #27A05-0406-CV-313, 827 N.E.2d 44 (Ind. App.
2005). [N/R]
Motorists who alleged that they were injured in a
collision caused by the police engaging in a high-speed pursuit of another
motorist could not pursue, under Connecticut state law, a claim against the
town for indemnification of the officers without directly bringing claims
against the town's employees or agents (the officers). The defendant town's
motion for summary judgment was therefore granted. Gaudino v. Town of East
Hartford, No. 24660, 865 A.2d 470 (Conn. App. 2005). [N/R]
Deputy who intentionally rammed a speeding
motorist he was pursuing, rendering the driver a quadriplegic, was not entitled
to qualified immunity when the motorist's only offense was speeding.
Supervisor, who authorized a safer "Precision Intervention Technique"
(PIT), which the deputy did not carry out, was entitled to summary judgment.
Harris v. Coweta County, No. 03-15094, 2005 U.S. App. Lexis 6721 (11th Cir.).
[2005 LR Jun]
Factual issue as to whether state trooper had
acted with gross negligence in beginning and failing to end a high-speed
pursuit of a motorist suspected of driving under the influence (DUI), resulting
in the death of the pursued driver, was an issue for the jury, so that award of
$250,000 in damages (reduced from jury's $3.75 million award under applicable
limits under state law) was proper. Officer was not entitled to discretionary
immunity for his decision to start or continue the immediate pursuit of a
suspect. Clark v. South Carolina Department of Public Safety, No. 25926, 608
S.E.2nd 573 (S.C. 2005). [N/R]
Jury could properly find that officer's use of police
dog to detain suspect following high-speed pursuit of car was proper when he
then believed she was a burglary suspect and was attempting to flee arrest.
Exclusion of testimony of expert witness was not an abuse of discretion when
his testimony would be irrelevant to whether the officer acted in a reasonable
manner. Marquez v. City of Albuquerque, No. 02-2294, 2005 U.S. App. Lexis
3299(10th Cir.). [2005 LR Apr]
Update: U.S. Court of Appeals for the
Eighth Circuit, rehearing case en banc, rules by 10-3 that "intent to
harm" is the appropriate legal standard for liability for motorist's death
caused by collision with police vehicle going through red light at high speed
while responding to a domestic disturbance call. Prior adoption of
"deliberate indifference" legal standard by appeals panel overturned.
Majority of court also finds that deputies would be entitled to summary
judgment, under the circumstances, even under the lesser "deliberate
indifference" standard. Terrell v. Larson, No. 03-1293 2005 U.S. App.
Lexis 1815 (8th Cir.) [2005 LR Mar]
An arrestee who admittedly fled from officers to avoid
arrest for possession of controlled substances, and then was struck and injured
by a police car as he crossed in front of it, committed a seriously offense of
resisting arrest, which barred him from seeking damages for his injuries under
New York state law. Moore v. County of Suffolk, 783 N.Y.S.2d 72 (A.D. 2nd Dept.
2004). [N/R]
Motorist's claim of "gross negligence"
by law enforcement personnel in civil rights lawsuit arising out of a vehicle
accident were insufficient to support a claim of violation of substantive due
process where there was no showing that they had any intent to harm anyone.
Dillon v. Brown County, No. 03-3687 2004 U.S. App. Lexis 17840 (8th Cir. 2004).
[2004 LR Oct]
Lawsuit by parents of a motorcyclist who died in
an accident while being pursued by a police officer was not a claim for
intentional misconduct when plaintiffs asserted that officer purposefully
bumped motorcycle to end the pursuit, as it was not claimed that the officer
intended to injury the motorcyclist. The lawsuit was not, therefore, barred by
the Texas state Tort Claims Act, V.T.C.A. Civil Practice & Remedies Code
Sec. 101.021 Durbin v. City of Winnsboro, No. 06-03-00046-CV, 135 S.W.2d 317
(Tex. App. 2004). [N/R]
Police officer whose vehicle collided with
another motorist after allegedly running a red light while responding to a
domestic disturbance call was not entitled to summary judgment from liability
on the basis of qualified immunity in claim for damages. Officer's action, if
as described by plaintiff, could constitute deliberate indifference to the
possibility of harm coming to other drivers and their passengers. Two to one
majority of appeals court panel finds that "deliberate indifference"
rather than "intent to harm" was sufficient to impose liability under
the circumstances, if officer had time to deliberate between alternatives.
Terrell v. Larson, #03-1293 2004 U.S. App. Lexis 11417 (8th Cir.). [2004
LR Jul]
Summary judgment was properly entered for
defendant city in wrongful death lawsuit brought under Washington state law
concerning death of motorist which occurred during high-speed police chase when
administrator of decedent's estate failed to comply with a statutory
requirement that they personally sign the notice of claim against a
municipality. Reyes v. City of Renton, No. 50154-2-1, 88 P.3d 155 (Wash. App.
Division 1 2004). [N/R]
Any recklessness by one officer in continuing
pursuit of vehicle after it spun out of control and hit a guardrail was
"superseded" under Georgia state law by the actions of a second
officer, from another city, in accelerating the speed of the pursuit to over
100 miles per hour at close range to pursued car. First officer and the city
which employed him, therefore, were entitled to summary judgment in wrongful
death claim made by family of driver of oncoming vehicle struck and killed by
pursued car. City of Pooler v. Edenfield, No. A03A1538, 587 S.E.2d 408 (Ga.
App. 2003). [2004 LR Apr]
Under Georgia law, county which had not purchased
liability insurance for damages arising from officers' negligence in the
performance of their duties did not waive sovereign immunity and could not be
held liable for motorists' injuries from collision with truck pursued by
police. Smith v. Chatham County, No. A03A1133, 501 S.E.2d 388 (Ga. App. 2003).
[N/R]
County's purchase of liability insurance on
vehicle used by sheriff's deputy in high-speed chase waived any defense of
sovereign immunity on claims asserted by motorist for injuries to herself and
her daughter when struck by vehicle deputy was pursuing. Summary judgment was
still properly entered for deputy, however, as plaintiff failed to show that
deputy acted in reckless disregard of proper procedure during the pursuit.
Standard v. Hobbs, 589 S.E.2d 634 (Ga. App. 2003). [N/R]
Whether or not police officers initially decided
to stop a motorist on the basis of impermissible "racial profiling,"
once he refused to stop, they had probable cause to seek to stop him and arrest
him for the crime of fleeing, and they were therefore entitled to qualified
immunity from liability for the death of a vehicle occupant caused by a
collision with the pursued car and injuries to another occupant of that
vehicle. Slusarchuk v. Hoff, No. 02-3601, 346 F.3d 1178 (8th Cir. 2003). [2004
LR Feb]
Jury awards $2 million to family of woman killed
in collision with vehicle being pursued by police officers. The lawsuit claimed
that police policy required that the pursuit stop after the pursued vehicle
struck a truck, but there was evidence that the pursuit continued until the
subsequent collision occurred when the pursued vehicle crossed the center line
in the road, killing the plaintiff's decedent. Santillana v. City of Chicago,
No. 00L8327, Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, reported in Chicago Daily
Law Bulletin, pg. 3 (December 15, 2003). [N/R]
Officer's action of drawing his gun when
approaching a suspect's vehicle at the conclusion of a one-mile pursuit was not
unreasonable under the circumstances. Officer was entitled to qualified
immunity for the shooting of the motorist when he accidentally slipped and his
gun discharged. McCoy v. City of Monticello, No. 02-2941, 342 F.3d
842 (8th Cir. 2003). [2004 LR Jan]
Officer was entitled to qualified immunity for
shooting and killing a suspect who turned around and drove his vehicle towards
officers at the conclusion of a high-speed pursuit. Officer could reasonably
believe that the motorist was posing a significant threat of physical injury or
death to himself and others. Hernandez v. Jarman, No. 02-3519, 340 F.3d 617
(8th Cir. 2003). [2004 LR Jan]
Proper legal standard for establishing liability
of police officers engaged in a high-speed chase which injures third parties is
"willful and wanton misconduct" under Illinois law, not ordinary
negligence, rejecting argument by plaintiff motorists injured in collision with
pursued vehicle in question certified for decision by the trial court. Lanning
v. Harris, No. 3-02-0637, 796 N.E.2d 667 (Ill. App. 3d Dist. 2003). [N/R]
Further proceedings ordered on wrongful death
lawsuit brought by estate of woman struck and killed by vehicle pursued by
police in high-speed chase. Court finds genuine issues of material fact as to
whether officer acted in a willful and wanton manner in chasing the suspect's
car at high speed through commercial and residential suburban streets, knowing
that the pursued vehicle was running stop signs and red lights, and whether it
was reasonably foreseeable, under these circumstances, that a third party would
be injured. Suwanski v. Village of Lombard, #2-02-0905, 794 N.E.2d 1016 (Ill.
App. 2nd Dist. 2003). [N/R]
Mississippi Supreme Court upholds finding of
liability of city for death of bystander killed when her vehicle was hit by a
car driven by a check forgery suspect who was fleeing from police pursuit
through a residential neighborhood. Court rules that officers acted in reckless
disregard for the safety of others in conducting the pursuit, and were
therefore not entitled to governmental immunity when they did not know whether
the pursued suspect had committed a felony or a misdemeanor, violating the
department's own order concerning the beginning of pursuits. City of Jackson v.
Brister, No. 2001-CA-01393-SCT, 838 So. 2d 274 (Miss. 2003). [2003 LR Jun]
Proper legal standard for police civil rights liability
for injuries to third parties resulting from collision with suspect's car
during high-speed pursuit was whether officers intended to harm the pursued
suspects physically or "worsen their legal plight," rather than
deliberate indifference to the risk of harm. Epps v. Lauderdale County, Tenn.,
#00-6737, 45 Fed. Appx. 332 (6th Cir. 2002). [2003 LR Jan]
Michigan intermediate appeals court upholds award
of over $2.2 million against city for injuries to motorist and her child
resulting from collision with vehicle being pursued by police. Appeals court
rejects retroactive application of Michigan Supreme Court decision that changed
state law governing the motor vehicle exception to governmental immunity in the
state. Ewing v. City of Detroit, No. 225401, 651 N.W.2d 780 (Mich. App. 2002).
[2003 LR Jan]
City, officers, and sheriff's department were
entitled to immunity from liability on wrongful death claim brought by estate
of motorist killed while he was being pursued in a high-speed chase, when there
was evidence that the decedent had committed criminal offenses of aggravated
assault, speeding, leaving the scene of an accident, reckless driving, driving
under the influence of alcohol, and resisting arrest. There was a causal
relationship between his criminal acts and his death, and the trial court did
not have to make a factual finding as to whether the officers acted in reckless
disregard for the safety of others under a state statute, A.M.C. Sec.
11-46-9(1)(c) requiring that an individual bringing a lawsuit against an
officer not be involved in a crime at the time of the alleged injury. Tory v.
City of Edwards, 2001-Ca-01316-COA, 829 So. 2d 1246 (Miss. App. 2002). [N/R]
Officer did not use excessive force in
positioning his truck directly in front of motorist's truck, drawing his gun,
and physically removing motorist from vehicle after motorist had allegedly been
involved in two hit-and-run accidents and had failed to stop after a roadblock
with marked police vehicles, three stop stick attempts, or after all his tires
had deflated. Harrell v. Purcell, 236 F. Supp. 2d 526 (M.D.N.C. 2002). [N/R]
State trooper's pursuit of a speeding van
proximately caused the death of a motorist whose car was struck by the pursued
vehicle so that the state was liable under Nebraska state law for the
motorist's death. Nebraska Supreme Court orders a trial on the issue of
damages. Meyer v. State of Nebraska, #S-01-303, 650 N.W.2d 459 (Neb. 2002). [2002
LR Dec]
Illinois jury awards $11 million to 17-year-old
passenger injured in car allegedly pursued at 70 m.p.h. by officers who wanted
driver because of outstanding warrant on drug charges. Municipality found
liable for 80% of award, while driver of pursued car found liable for 20%.
Salonica Prado v. The City of Evanston, et al., No. 97L-14541, Circuit Court of
Cook County, Illinois, Law Division, June 11, 2002, reported in The Chicago
Daily Law Bulletin, p. 3 (July 12, 2002). [2002 LR Aug]
Passenger injured in high-speed pursuit of car in
which she was riding is awarded $11 million by Illinois jury. Prado v.
Evanston, Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, Law Division, reported in the
Chicago Tribune, Section 2, page 5 (June 13, 2002). [2002 LR Jul]
Texas police officer was engaged in a
discretionary action in pursuing a fleeing suspect, even though he was ordered
by a superior to give pursuit, when the manner of conducting the pursuit was
left to his discretion. Officer was therefore entitled to official immunity as
a defense to a lawsuit brought by an individual injured in a collision with the
pursued car. Clark v. University of Houston, No. 14-96-00005-CV, 60 S.W.3d 206
(Tex. App. 2001). [2002 LR Mar]
Bringing reckless driving charges against
motorcyclist, if motivated to hinder or prevent him from filing a civil lawsuit
against arresting officers who had engaged in a high-speed chase in which he
was injured, could constitute a violation of his First Amendment rights, even
if criminal charges would otherwise be warranted. Poole v. County of Otero, No.
00-2215, 271 F.3d 955 (10th Cir. 2001). [2002 LR Mar]
City waived any defense of sovereign immunity in
lawsuit brought by motorist injured during police chase by participating in a
liability risk pool on the date when the accident occurred. It could not
reclaim its waiver of sovereign immunity by ceasing to participate in the state
risk pool, in the absence of consent by the plaintiff motorist. Cromwell v.
Rapid City Police Department, No. 21582, 632 N.W.2d 20 (S.D. 2001). [N/R]
Officers and city were not liable for the death
of a bicyclist struck by a pursued vehicle driven by fleeing drug dealer
suspects who had previously fired at officers. Officers, who pursued suspects
with lights and sirens activated, did not act with gross negligence or
recklessness in conducting pursuit. Sergent v. City of Charleston, No. 28479,
549 S.E.2d 311 (W. Va. 2001). [2002 LR Jan]
46:152 $5.05 million settlement in lawsuit by
estate of motorist struck by car being pursued by sheriff's deputies. Carboni
v. Enterprise Leasing Co., Fla., Palm Beach County 15th Jud. Cir. Ct., No.
98-006647, Dec. 1, 2000, reported in 44 ATLA Law Rptr. No. 5, p. 167 (June
2001).
343:103 City could not be held liable for deaths
of motorists killed in a collision with a pursued car, regardless of the
constitutionality of the city's policies, training and supervision on
high-speed pursuits, when individual officers involved in the chase did not
violate the decedents' constitutional rights. Trigalet v. City of Tulsa, Okl.,
#98- 5261, 239 F.3d 1150 (10th Cir. 2001).
342:87 Denver jury awards $2.25 million to family
of young man killed in collision with police vehicle traveling at high speed in
non-emergency situation, which allegedly went through a red light with flashing
lights activated, but no siren. Williams v. City & County of Denver, No.
90- N117611a, U.S. Dist. Ct., Denver, Co., reported in The National Law
Journal, p. A6 (April 16, 2001).
342:88 Estate of woman who died following police
high-speed pursuit of suspect driving the wrong direction on an interstate
highway was not entitled to jury's award of $744,000 when evidence did not show
that the officers had an "intent to harm. Smith v. City of Philadelphia,
Philadelphia, Pa., Common Pleas Ct., National Law Journal, p. A7 (April 23,
2001).
341:72 Officer was not entitled to qualified
immunity for engaging in high-speed pursuit of driver operating a stolen
vehicle, including pursuit of vehicle once it began to go the wrong way on an
interstate highway; further proceedings ordered in lawsuit by family of
deceased motorist struck by pursued vehicle. Feist v. Simonson, No. 99-1687,
222 F.3d 455 (8th Cir. 2000).
340:59 Officer's alleged conduct of driving 57-61
miles per hour in a 25 m.p.h. zone, without lights and sirens, while responding
to a non-emergency radio call, was not conduct that "shocked the
conscience"; no liability for officer or employer for collision with
motorist's vehicle. Leddy v. Township of Lower Merion, 114 F. Supp. 2d 372
(E.D. Pa. 2000).
338:24 Officer's high-speed pursuit of a
motorcyclist who he believed had no valid driver's license was an
"emergency call" within the meaning of an Ohio state statute
providing immunity for accidents arising during such calls; genuine factual
disputes as to whether officer acted in a willful and wanton manner in
continuing pursuit, however, required further proceedings. Wagner v. Heavlin,
No. 704, 737 N.E.2d 989 (Ohio App. 2000).
331:106 Officer and city were not entitled to
immunity for injuries to pedestrian struck by officer's vehicle as he followed
speeding motor vehicle; officer's actions did not qualify as
"pursuit" as speeding motor vehicle was not attempting to flee officer.
Torres v. City of Perth Amboy, 748 A.2d 125 (N.J. Super. A.D. 2000).
327:41 Officer's deliberate ramming of fleeing
motorist's vehicle did not constitute conduct shocking to the conscience which
would render officer and city liable for resulting injury to nearby pedestrian
hit by a car pushed by suspect's vehicle after he lost control of it. Davis v.
Township of Hillside, #98-6176, 190 F.3d 167 (3rd Cir. 1999).
320:123 Federal appeals court rules that
"shocks the conscience" standard in high-speed pursuit civil rights
lawsuits applies to injuries suffered by third parties as well as to injuries
suffered by driver or occupants of pursued vehicle; no liability for pursuit of
erratic driver who collided with another motorist's car. Onossian v. Block,
#97-56169, 175 F.3d 1169 (9th Cir. 1999).
320:122 Federal trial court allows civil rights
claim over death that resulted from high-speed pursuit to go to trial, despite
adoption of "shocks the conscience" standard by U.S. Supreme Court;
rules that decision to continue pursuit the wrong way down a busy interstate
highway at high speed presented factual issue as to whether conduct
"shocked the conscience." Feist v. Simonson, 36 F. Supp. 2d 1136 (D.
Minn. 1999).
319:106 California Highway Patrol was immune from
liability for death of woman struck by pursued car when it had adopted written
policy on vehicular pursuits which complied with requirements of state statute.
Ketchum v. State of California, 64 Cal. App. 4th 957, 73 Cal.Rptr.2d 152 (1998),
modified in Ketchum v. State of California, 63 Cal. App. 4th 740A, 1998 Cal.
App. Lexis 384.
318:92 Officer who pursued, at high-speed, truck
he reasonably believed was driven by intoxicated driver did not act in
disregard of the safety of others, since he activated lights and siren, pursuit
was not in a heavily populated area, and the duration of the chase was
relatively brief; no liability for injuries to motorist from collision with
pursued vehicle. Hall v. Village of Bartonville Police Dept., 699 N.E.2d 148
(Ill. App. 1998).
316:59 City reaches $750,000 settlement with
estate of driver whose vehicle was struck by pursued car driven by 9-year-old
child who had left the scene of an accident; city was not entitled to immunity
under California statute based on inadequate pursuit policy. Colvin v. City of
Gardena, U.S. Dist. Ct., C.D. Cal., No. CV 97-4896-HLH (MCX), Apr. 30, 1998,
reported in 42 (1) ATLA Law Rptr. 8 (Jan. 1999).
310:154 City liable for $5.1 million to estate of
one killed and two injured when their vehicle was struck by motorist fleeing
from high-speed police pursuit; lawsuit asserted that officer was pursuing
vehicle, which was going 70 miles per hour, without sirens or emergency lights
activated. Khouri v. City of Chicago, No. 92 L 15214 (Circuit Court, Cook
County, Ill.), (Sept. 4, 1998), reported in The Chicago Daily Law Bulletin,
Vol. 144, No. 175, p. 1 (Sept. 8, 1998).
308:115 A police officer does not violate
substantive due process by causing death through deliberate or reckless
indifference to life in a high-speed automobile chase aimed at apprehending a
suspected offender. Only a purpose to cause harm unrelated to the legitimate
object of arrest will satisfy the element of arbitrary conduct shocking to the
conscience necessary for a due process violation. County of Sacramento v.
Lewis, 118 S.Ct. 1708 (1998).
306:89 No liability on the part of the city for
injuries to officer who was passenger in police vehicle pursuing suspect;
officer driving vehicle did not act in "reckless disregard" of safety
of others since he had lights and sirens operating when his car was struck by a
van. Mulligan v. City of New York, 664 N.Y.S.2d 484 (A.D. 1997).
305:72 Officers did not act unreasonably in
pursuing motorist believed to be intoxicated, or in using roadblock to stop
him; motorist's appearance and actions gave them grounds to believe he might be
a danger to himself or others. Latta v. Keryte, 118 F.3d 693 (10th Cir. 1997).
303:43 Federal appeals court rules that Fourth
Amendment, rather than "substantive due process" was the appropriate
legal standard for liability in high speed chase which resulted in injuries to
passengers in pursued vehicle; no liability found where officer had probable cause
to arrest driver, but driver fled. Mays v. City of East St. Louis, 123 F.3d 999
(7th Cir. 1997).
303:42 Officers surrounding of pursued vehicle on
the left and right, and placing a third police vehicle in front of it, did not
amount to a "rolling road-block" or seizure, in absence of any
indication they intended to stop vehicle through physical impact; officers not
liable for collision which resulted when driver of pursued vehicle attempted to
break out of surrounding vehicles to escape. White v. Tamlyn, 961 F.Supp. 1047
(E.D. Mich. 1997).
302:26 Officers did not "shock the
conscience" by engaging in high-speed pursuit of vehicle during inclement
weather even if doing so was in violation of a departmental directive; officers
had reason to suspect that fleeing driver might be intoxicated and could
constitute a danger to the public. Boveri v. Town of Saugus, 113 F.3d 4 (1st
Cir. 1997).
290:23 Deputy's pursuit of suspect vehicle at
speeds approaching 100 miles per hour, which ended only after pursued driver
lost control of his vehicle and was ejected from his car, fatally injuring
himself, did not constitute a search or seizure of the vehicle and did not
violate either the Fourth or Fourteenth Amendment; no county liability when
deputy's actions did not constitute a constitutional violation Story, Estate
of, Through McNair v. McDuffie County, 929 F.Supp. 1523 (S.D.Ga 1996).
292:59 Officer was entitled to official immunity
for engaging in high-speed pursuit of fleeing vehicle which collided with oncoming
car; reasonable minds could differ as to whether continued high-speed pursuit
was justified; Texas appeals court rules that state was entitled to sovereign
immunity from liability for alleged negligence once officer it employed was
ruled entitled to official immunity Texas, State of, v. McGeorge, 925 S.W.2d
105 (Tex. App. 1996).
293:73 Estate of motorist killed in collision
with police vehicle at intersection receives $425,000 settlement on claim that
officer, who ran a red light, was traveling at an excessive speed and failed to
activate siren while engaged in high-speed pursuit of suspect Stupakis v.
Borough of Braddock Hills, Pa, settled before filing, reported in 39 ATLA
L.Rptr. No 7, p. 282 (Sept 1996).
293:73 Federal appeals court rules that legal
standard for federal civil rights liability in high speed pursuit cases is
deliberate indifference; rules that officer was not entitled to qualified
immunity in chase of motorcycle in 1990 which led to passenger's death, since
law was "clearly established" then; insufficient evidence of any
municipal policy of deliberate indifference in training results in summary
judgment for county and sheriff's department Lewis v. Sacramento County, 98
F.3d 434 (9th Cir. 1996).
297:147 Update: U.S. Supreme Court to decide
proper legal standard for federal civil rights police liability for high speed
pursuits Lewis v. Sacramento County, 98 F.3d 434 (9th Cir. 1996), cert granted,
Sacramento County v. Lewis, 117 S.Ct. 2406, 1997 U.S. Lexis 3534 (June 2,
1997).
299:171 Border Patrol found liable for death of
six people in collision with stolen vehicle smuggling illegal aliens agents
were pursuing at high speed; $1,011,60619 awarded in damages, with claim for
loss of future earnings of one decedent still pending Murillo v. United States,
SACV940006, U.S. Dist. Ct., C.D. Cal, Feb 25, 1997, reported in Los Ang. Daily
Jour. Verd. & Sett., p. 4 (May 23, 1997).
284:122 Pursuing a vehicle which had run a stop
sign was a discretionary act; deputy was entitled to official immunity, under
Georgia state law, for initiating and continuing pursuit and was not
individually liable for injuries resulting from his vehicle's collision with
another car during the pursuit Morgan v. Causey, 910 F.Supp. 651 (M.D. Ga 1996).
280:58 Police officer engaged in high speed
pursuit of speeding truck which had been "racing" was not liable for
injuries to occupants of another vehicle struck by pursued truck; officer's
actions in giving pursuit were reasonable and not reckless Mullane v. City of
Amsterdam, 622 N.Y.S.2d 346 (A.D. 1995).
280:58 Iowa Supreme Court rules that liability
for injuries to motorists caused by collision with pursued vehicle can only be
based on reckless conduct by police in pursuit, not mere negligence; officer
and city not liable when pursued vehicle had already been in hit-and-run
accident and pursuit of already speeding car was designed to prevent further
harm Morris v. Leaf, 534 NW2d 388 (Iowa 1995).
281:74 Officers not liable for injuries to woman
struck and injured by vehicle driven by drug suspects they were pursuing at
high speed Evans v. Avery, 897 F.Supp. 21 (D.Mass 1995).
281:74 Transit district liable for $13 million to
female college student who lost her left leg after she was hit by vehicle which
allegedly was being pursued by transit district police officers; transit
district denied officers were in pursuit at the time of the accident Pogosyan
v. Southern California Rapid Transit District, No BC 070 359, Superior Ct Los Angeles,
Cal, Dec 15, 1995, reported in The Natl. Law Jour., p. A11, January 15, 1996,
39 ATLA L. Rep.112 (April 1996).
281:75 Deputy not liable for death of pursued
motorist who lost control of his vehicle after deputy's car bumped his rear
bumper Sturges v. Matthews, 53 F.3d 659 (4th Cir. 1995).
287:170 City liable for $755,600 to estate of
young girl killed in collision with stolen car allegedly being pursued by
police vehicle; officers asserted that they were not pursuing stolen car but
happened upon accident while on routine patrol Estate of Reed v. City of
Chicago, No 91L-15529, Cir. Ct Cook County, Chicago, IL March 13, 1996,
reported in Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, p. 6 (May 3, 1996).
266:27 Federal appeals court rules that liability
of police and city for violating due process rights of motorists struck and
killed by vehicle fleeing police high speed pursuit cannot be based on
"reckless indifference" to harm, but instead must be based on conduct
which "shocks the conscience" Fagan v. City of Vineland, 22 F.3d 1283
(3rd Cir. 1994); Fagan v. City of Vineland, 22 F.3d 1296 (3rd Cir. 1994).
269:72 Alabama Supreme Court reinstates lawsuit
by estate of motorist killed in collision with vehicle pursued by officer;
summary judgment was improper when there was an issue of fact as to whether
officer had discontinued pursuit once he was notified that a roadblock was in
place to intercept the pursued vehicle Seals v. City of Columbia, 641 So.2d
1247 (Ala 1994).
269:73 New Jersey appeals court holds that
statutes providing immunity do not apply in high speed pursuit cases where it
is the officer's own vehicle which injures an innocent motorist, rather than
the pursued vehicle Fielder v. Jenkins, 274 NJ Super 485, 644 A.2d 666 (NJ
Super AD 1994).
270:92 Officer and city not liable for injuries
to vehicle occupants injured in collision with vehicle being pursued at high
speed; officer acted reasonably in engaging in pursuit of vehicle containing
prison escapee suspected of violent crimes who was armed and had been drinking
Webber v. Mefford, 43 F.3d 1340 (10th Cir. 1994).
271:104 Michigan appeals court rules that estate
of motorcyclist who died in collision during high speed pursuit of his
motorcycle by state troopers could not recover damages from pursuing troopers
Jackson v. Oliver, 514 NW2d 195 (Mich App. 1994). Editor's Note: For another
recent case reaching a similar result, see Beck v. Zabrowski, 650 A.2d 1152
(Pa/Cmwlth. 1994), holding that a police officer and his employer were not
liable for the death of a motorist who ran off the road and struck a utility
police while being pursued by the officer based on a radio report that his
vehicle had left the scene of an accident
272:118 Texas Supreme Court rules that officers
engaging in high speed pursuit of motorcycle which ran red light had a duty to
drive carefully to prevent injury to passenger on back of motorcycle; adopts
objective reasonableness/good-faith requirement for official immunity under
state law; rules that officers' conduct did not "shock the
conscience" and therefore that no federal civil rights claim was stated
Lancaster, City of v. Chambers, 883 S.W.2d 650 (Tex. 1994).
273:140 Tennessee Supreme Court, overturning
prior state precedents, rules that negligence in initiating or continuing
high-speed pursuit may be a basis of liability on the part of law enforcement
agencies for collisions occurring between pursued vehicles and vehicles of
innocent third parties Haynes v. Hamilton County, 883 S.W.2d 606 (Tenn 1994).
273:141 Pursuing officers did not
"seize" pursued vehicle when driver lost control and his vehicle
crashed into drainage ditch; officers and municipality were entitled to summary
judgment in injured motorist's Fourth Amendment constitutional civil rights
lawsuit Wozniak v. Cavender, 875 F.Supp. 526 (N.D.Ill. 1995).
274:151 Deputy sheriff did not act with gross
negligence in pursuing, but not attempting to stop, vehicle in which he
believed gunman was fleeing; plaintiff's failure to plead that county had
waived immunity by purchasing liability insurance barred claim against county
under N.C. law Clark v. Burke County, 450 S.E.2d 747 (N.C. App. 1994).
274:152 Use of police car to block highway,
resulting in injury to pursued motorcyclists, would violate clearly established
law if intentionally done knowing that serious injury was likely to occur and
that pursued motorcyclists would not have time to stop their vehicle or take
other action to avoid collision Buckner v. Kilgore, 36 F.3d 536 (6th Cir.
1994).
City was immune from liability under Pennsylvania
law for injuries suffered by motorist injured by vehicle driven by fleeing
suspect pursued by police Burnett v. City of Philadelphia, 620 A.2d 50
(Pa/Cmwlth. 1993).
Evidence of only one prior incident of alleged
excessive use of force by officer did not, by itself, establish pattern of
"persistent and widespread" constitutional violations sufficient to
show municipal custom Russell v. Town of Chesapeake, 817 F.Supp. 38 (WDW.Va.
1993).
Police department was immune from suit by parents
of person killed in crash caused by robber fleeing police high speed pursuit;
California statute grants statutory immunity for injuries resulting from police
pursuits provided city adopts pursuit policy meeting guidelines Brumer v. City
of Los Angeles, 29 Cal.Rptr.2d 515 (Cal App. 1994).
Collision of pursued motorcycle with police
vehicle partially blocking road did not constitute a "seizure" by the
pursuing officer for Fourth Amendment purposes when he did not intend this to
be the means of ending the pursuit Horta v. Sullivan, 4 F.3d 2 (1st Cir. 1993).
INS agents were not negligent in initiating and
continuing high-speed pursuit of suspected alien smuggler on California
freeway; no liability for U.S. government for injuries of driver of vehicle hit
by pursued suspect vehicle Cimo v. INS, 16 F.3d 1039 (9th Cir. 1994).
Highway patrol trooper was not willfully and
wantonly negligent in pursuing intoxicated teenage driver traveling at over 90
miles per hour; teen girl's own intoxication, speeding, and turning off of her
vehicles lights were the cause of her death in collision occurring during
pursuit Stone v. Ohio State Highway Patrol, 63 Ohio Misc 2d 351, 629 N.E.2d
1116 (Ohio Ct Cl 1993).
Georgia appeals court rules that police pursuit
is ordinarily not a contributing cause of injuries to others resulting from
collision with pursued party's vehicle; city and officer were not liable for
death of motorist whose car was struck by fleeing suspect Mixon v. City of
Warner Robins, 434 S.E.2d 71 (Ga App. 1993).
Under Pennsylvania law, the criminal acts of a
pursued suspect, rather than the decision of an officer to initiate and conduct
a pursuit were the cause of the death of a third-party motorist Angle v.
Miller, 629 A.2d 238 (Pa/Cmwlth. 1993).
Michigan city liable for $38 million to passenger
in vehicle who suffered fractured neck in collision with police vehicle
pursuing another car; police vehicle did not have sirens and flashing lights in
operation Schwartz v. City of Inkster, Mich, No 91-128106, Cir. Ct Wayne
County, Mich, Nov 1, 1993, reported in The Natl. Law Jour. p. 11 (Nov 15,
1993).
"No meaningful restraints" on officers
engaged in high-speed chases to protect innocent third parties under Tennessee
state law, appeals court rules, upholding dismissal of suit by third parties
injured in collision with police vehicle chasing suspect Garren v. City of
Englewood, 854 S.W.2d 892 (Tenn App. 1993).
New York jury awards $104 million to woman and
her son severely injured in collision between bus and police vehicle which was
in pursuit of a motorcycle which had run red lights Marmol v. City of New York,
NY Sup Ct reported in Chicago Tribune, Sec 1, p. 29 (June 3, 1993).
Alabama Supreme Court overturns directed verdict
for police officer sued by security guard he hit with his truck while pursuing
suspected shoplifter in mall parking lot; substantial evidence of
"wantonness" created an issue of fact for the jury Henderson v. City
of Mobile, 611 So.2d 249 (Ala 1992).
City liable for $356,932 for death of motorcycle
passenger on motorcycle being pursued by police officer; officer was negligent
in continuing high speed chase in residential area Stewart v. City of Omaha,
242 Neb 240, 494 N.W.2d 130 (1993).
City was not entitled to immunity under
California law from liability for death of motorist in collision with suspect's
vehicle being pursued when pursuit policy did not furnish adequate guidelines
as to when to initiate or terminate high speed pursuits Payne v. City of
Perris, 16 Cal.Rptr.2d 143 (Cal App. 1993).
Speeding motorist's behavior, not the actions of
a police officer in pursuing him, was the sole proximate cause of the death of
two teenagers in a collision with the motorist's car Mid Century Insurance, Co
v. City of Omaha, 242 Neb 126, 494 N.W.2d 320 (Neb 1992).
Jury award $13 million in damages to motorist
injured in collision with police vehicle involved in high speed pursuit Denson
v. City of Chicago, No 86-L-8636, Circuit Ct, Cook County, Ill, reported in
Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, p. 1 (Jan 28, 1993).
Estate of man killed as he swerved his truck to
avoid being hit by speeding car pursued by officers awarded $1036 million Middelstadt
v. City of Chicago, Cir. Ct Cook County, Ill, reported in Chicago Daily Law
Bulletin, p. 3 (Jan 21, 1993).
Deputy sheriffs not entitled to qualified
immunity from liability for allegedly intentionally ramming a pursued vehicle
during a high-speed chase of a fleeing misdemeanant, which culminated in the
death of a passenger in the pursued vehicle; intentional ramming constituted an
unreasonable seizure that would have been apparent to a reasonable officer
Adams v. St Lucie County Sheriff's Dept, 962 F.2d 1563 (11th Cir. 1992).
Reversed and vacated on rehearing en banc, 998 F.2d 923 (11th Cir. 1993),
granting qualified immunity because it was not clearly established at the time
of the pursuit that deadly force was not allowed against a misdemeanant.
High-speed pursuit of traffic offender by 14-20
vehicles over 25-mile of public streets was not an action for which officers
were entitled to sovereign immunity under Florida law; officers engaged in the
pursuit owed a duty of care to motorists killed when their vehicle was hit by
the pursued car City of Pinellas Park v. Brown, 604 so 2d 1222 (Fla 1992).
Officers were entitled to qualified immunity for
allegedly reckless pursuit of stolen car which collided with and injured
bicyclist; it was not "clearly established" in 1986 that officers
could be liable, under federal civil rights law, for injuries caused by a
suspect they were chasing or for reckless conduct in general Medina v. City and
County of Denver, 960 F.2d 1493 (10th cir 1992).
Seven-year-old child who was injured and lost
both parents in accident with police vehicle engaged in high-speed pursuit
receives $365 million settlement Moses v. City of Chicago, reported in Chicago
Sun-Times, p. 11 (July 28, 1992).
Officer was not liable for death of child struck
by car driven by suspect fleeing from him at high speed Pletan v. Gaines, 481
N.W.2d 566 (Minn. 1992).
Officers' one-minute high speed pursuit of
motorcyclist did not make them liable for motorcyclist's crash with another
vehicle McElreath v. Progressive Insurance Co, 595 So.2d 693 (La App. 1992).
New Jersey statute barring officer's liability
for injuries caused by "escaping or escaped person" gave officer
immunity in suit over damages caused by collision of pursued vehicle with
vehicle driven by another motorist Tice v. Cramer, 604 A.2d 183 (NJ Super AD
1992).
City whose officers joined high speed pursuit in
progress and continued it after other municipalities desisted was liable for
$378 million for death of motorist and injuries to passenger in vehicle struck
by car being pursued May v. City of Southfield, Mich Wayne County Cir. Ct, Nos
90-010334-NO, 90- 010338-NO, Nov 20, 1991, reported in 35 ATLA L. Rep.174 (June
1992).
When deputy's chase of speeding auto had ended
before pursued vehicle struck another vehicle, injured motorist had no claim
against county for breach of duty Smith v. County of Milwaukee, 470 N.W.2d 274
(Wis 1991).
Estate of driver who died in accident while
engaged in high speed chase fleeing from Ohio state police could sue officers
and state for negligence York v. Ohio State Highway Patrol, 60 Ohio St 3d 143,
573 N.E.2d 1063 (1991).
California court holds that Highway Patrol was
entitled to immunity from liability for injury resulting from high-speed
pursuit because it adopted a written policy on vehicular pursuits, even if it
was not followed in a particular pursuit Kishida v. State, 280 Cal.Rptr. 62
(Cal App. 1991).
Estate of woman killed in collision with police-pursued
vehicle could sue officer and city for negligence without showing that officer
"directly" caused her death Seals v. City of Columbia, 575 So.2d 1061
(Ala 1991).
City and officer were not entitled to
"discretionary function" immunity for high-speed pursuit of suspect
resulting in death of pedestrian child Pletan v. Gaines, 460 N.W.2d 74 (Minn.
1990).
Passenger injured in crash of car being chased by
police awarded $101 million for negligence against city and driver Mrecado v.
Vega, 556 N.Y.S.2d 30 (A.D. 1990).
Even if risk of harm to the public from high
speed pursuit was foreseeable, county could not be liable to accident victim,
because decisions regarding chase were discretionary Lowrimore v. Dimmitt, 781
P.2d 411 (Or App. 1989).
Officers were not negligent in initiating and
conducting chase of vehicle in which driver lost control Bellows v. Amsterdam,
550 N.Y.S.2d 486 (A.D. 1990).
Michigan court upholds $225 million award against
city for injuries to motorist struck by van pursued by officer; officer was
immune Frohman v. City of Detroit, 450 N.W.2d 59 (Mich App. 1989).
Officers' alleged negligence did not cause death
of 13-yearold in fatal collision after officers cut off chase of his bike
Jenard v. Halpin, 567 A.2d 368 (RI 1989).
Tennessee supreme court holds that negligence of
fleeing suspect, not pursuing officers, was sole cause of death of motorist
killed in collision with suspect's vehicle Kennedy v. City of Spring City, 780
S.W.2d 164 (Tenn 1989).
High-speed pursuit of vehicle with mismatched
license plates, resulting in collision, was not gross negligence Roach v. City
of Fredericktown, 882 F.2d 294 (8th Cir. 1989).
City could not be held liable for injuries to
passenger in car pursued by officers simply for failure to adopt any policy
regarding high speed pursuit Veach v. Cross, 532 N.E.2d 1069 (Ill App. 1988).
Officer driving police vehicle during emergency
without using siren was immune from liability for simple negligence under
Maryland law Taylor v. City of Baltimore, 549 A.2d 749 (Md 1988).
Sheriff's deputies could be sued for injuries to
motorist from unmarked concealed roadblock and high-speed chase of his car Reed
v. Allegan County, 688 F.Supp. 1239 (WD Mich 1988).
One-time violation of rule on high speed chase
would not render city or department liable, since no policy was demonstrated
Dawes v. Pellechia, 688 F.Supp. 842 (E.D.N.Y. 1988).
Kentucky governmental entities immune from
liability for injuries suffered by motorist in Indiana struck by car fleeing
Kentucky police officers Clement v. State of Indiana, 524 N.E.2d 36 (Ind App.
1988).
While pursuing officer might be liable for
recklessness in pursuit, neither "clocking" officer nor police chief
were liable under vehicle liability exception to immunity Force v. Watkins, 544
A.2d 114 (Pa/Cmwlth. 1988).
Estate of motorcyclist who died following high
speed pursuit could not file civil rights lawsuit York v. Lamantia, 674 F.Supp.
17 (N.D.Ohio, 1987).
City only 2% negligent in death resulting from
high speed chase of drunk driver, but may be required to pay entire damages of
$577,600 Gehres v. City of Phoenix, 753 P.2d 174 (Ariz App. 1987).
City and officer not liable for injuries sustained
in three-car accident at end of high-speed chase of fleeing misdemeanant Roach
v. City of Fredericktown, 693 F.Supp. 795 (E.D. Mo 1988).
Child passenger injured when pursued vehicle
rolled over could not recover damages when cause of accident was driver's
erratic driving Palella v. State, 530 N.Y.S.2d 650 (A.D. 1988).
Driver's negligence during high-speed chase was
sole cause of passenger's death Nevill v. City of Tullahoma, 756 S.W.2d 226
(Tenn 1988).
Jury verdict for a third party motorist, whose
vehicle was hit by a car pursued by police in a high-speed chase, is overturned
by the North Carolina Supreme Court. Bullins v. Schmidt, 369 S.E.2d 601 (N.C.
1988).