A Texas widow is suing the Austin Police Department for the wrongful death of her husband. The woman’s husband was driving on the Capital of Texas Highway when a high speed police pursuit of another person caused an accident that killed the woman’s husband. The widow has filed a lawsuit against the department of over $1 million for the wrongful death of her husband.
The tragedy occurred when another man stole a truck from the Barton Creek Square Mall. The man sped away from the mall and drove down the highway at 100 mph with the police chasing after him. In the pursuit, the man slammed the stolen truck into the husband’s car and killed him.
The husband’s death was an accident that could have been prevented. If the police did not pursue the other car, the woman’s husband would still be alive. Since the death of her husband, the woman is fighting for changes in police policies regarding high speed pursuits. She wants the police to use more discretion and measure the severity of the crime before pursuing a high speed chase. Is a simple theft worth a high speed chase if it results in the death of innocent people?
Unfortunately, highway deaths occur all too frequently in Texas. When people are reckless and do not care about the well-being of others, innocent people may be killed. Even though the police was trying to catch a “bad guy,” it was not worth it because it resulted in the tragic and wrongful death of a “good guy.” Surviving family members who have suffered the wrongful death of a loved one may find some comfort in achieving a successful court ruling. Even though it does not erase the sadness of losing a loved one, it may be a step forward toward implementing change in police policies.
Source: kvue.com, Widow suing APD, mall after husband’s death, Tina Shively and Jade Mingus, March 3, 2014