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The mother of a teen killed in car crash sues 2 Chicago cities

On Behalf of | May 31, 2017 | Firm News, motor vehicle accidents

The mother of a 13-year-old girl who was killed as Hammond and East Chicago Police Officers engaged in a high-speed chase cites their negligence as the reason for her daughter’s wrongful death. That same Feb. 15, 2017 accident resulted in the woman’s mother suffering debilitating injuries as well.

A police chase had been initiated earlier that same day after a female was reported as having shoplifted beer from the store Strack and Van Til. After stealing the product, she is alleged to have entered an awaiting Dodge Durango driven by a male accomplice.

She then exited the store’s parking lot and continued to follow Indianapolis as she crossed the city line from East Chicago into Hammond. It was around 4:30 p.m. when Hammond Police joined in chasing the pair through the city’s many different commercial and residential areas.

At that same time, the young teen’s grandmother had just picked up her granddaughter at her orthodontist’s appointment in the Munster area. She had begun driving along Columbia Avenue as she proceeded to her home in Whiting. It’s at the roadway’s intersection with Gostlin Street that the pair collided with the grandmother’s vehicle right before 5 p.m.

It’s believed that the teenager died instantly in the crash. The man and woman, who were fleeing at the time have each since been charged with one count of reckless homicide for their role in causing the young girl’s death.

The family of the decedent maintains that the girl’s death should have never happened. They argue that initiating a police chase over a stolen case of beer made no sense. Hammond’s mayor sides with the family. He said that there was ample opportunity for police to have chosen to put an end to the high-speed chase along the way, but that they didn’t.

In this instance, the family argues that police exercised a blatant disregard for the public’s safety. If your loved one was killed as the result of what you believe is someone else’s negligence, then you may benefit from the guidance a Chicago wrongful death attorney can provide in your case.

Source: chicagotribune.com, “Family of 13-year-old killed during crash amid police chase sues East Chicago, Hammond,” Craig Lyons, May 25, 2017

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