POLICE MAY BE LIABLE FOR DEADLY CAR ACCIDENT QUEENS, NEW YORK (July 9, 2016)
A 78-year-old woman was killed in a tragic accident as police were chasing a robbery suspect through a residential neighborhood in Cambia Heights on Thursday, according to ABC News. Authorities have been able to identify the woman that died in the crash as Roxina Clayton. The fatal collision happened by 225th Street near Linden Boulevard as the robbery suspect drove his black BMW SUV at high rates of speed in order to evade police. Authorities were trying to pull him over when the crash occurred. Police are saying that the robbery suspect ran a red light at an intersection and collided with Mrs. Clayton’s green sedan. Roxina Clayton was a beloved mother and grandmother who instilled in her family the importance of love and forgiveness. The 51-year-old suspect driving the SUV was arrested following the accident and is being charged with manslaughter. But it remains unclear if anything at all will happen to the police officers that chose to engage in this pursuit through a residential neighborhood. Will they be held responsible for their actions? According to the NYPD Patrol Guide, Police must take into consideration a number of factors before determining if a police chase is warranted including: a. Nature of offense b. Time of day c. Weather condition d. Location and population density e. Capability of Department vehicle f. Familiarity with area. The NYPD Patrol Guide specifically states that a vehicle pursuit be terminated “whenever the risks to uniformed members of the service and the public outweigh the danger to the community if [the] suspect is not immediately apprehended.”
HELPING THOSE IN NEED BY RAISING AWARENESS
At the RMFW Law Firm we believe in giving back to the community and helping those who are in need. If you or someone that you know has been affected by this accident, we will gladly help raise awareness of any gofundme campaign set up to support the victim or their family. We can link to it in this post which is then spread across our social media platforms. You can send your request to: gofundmerequest@gmail.com. Our staff at the RMFW Law Firm were absolutely heartbroken to learn about the tragic death of Roxina Clayton. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family as they cope with such an incredible loss. Roxina Clayton leaves behind a legacy of love, compassion and faith that touched so many people during her life. We encourage the police officers investigating this crash to not just look at the suspect who is responsible but their own policies which may have contributed to Mrs. Clayton’s death. High speed pursuits in residential neighborhoods are a recipe for disaster. If there is anything at all that we can do for the family as they seek answers about what happened, our phones are always on 212-344-1000.
