The parents of a young man killed during a police car chase have filed a lawsuit against the city of Independence, Kansas City’s KCTV reported. Seventeen-year-old Chris Cooper was riding his bicycle in November of 2007 when he was hit and killed by a vehicle driven by Wilfredo Pujols, Jr. Pujols had earlier hit another car and run from police; he hit Cooper after running a red light.
The Cooper family’s Missouri wrongful death lawsuit alleges that the city of Independence didn’t train its police officers properly in chase procedures, which led to Cooper’s death. It also alleges that police officers made jokes at the scene. In addition to the city itself, the lawsuit names the police, the paramedics who responded and Pujols, the fugitive, as defendants.
The case has attracted attention in part because Wilfredo Pujols is a cousin of star St. Louis Cardinals batter Albert Pujols. Police eventually apprehended Pujols, who has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, resisting arrest and fleeing the scene of an accident. He faces up to 80 years in prison at his sentencing this spring.
Many people don’t realize that victims may file a Missouri car crash lawsuit even if the defendant is also charged criminally. (Naturally, they may also sue if police cannot or will not pursue criminal charges.) A wrongful death lawsuit might also be filed in a situation like this, where victims believe that law enforcement or another government agency is legally responsible for the death.
A wrongful death is any death caused by the wrongdoing of another. That includes criminal wrongdoing, but also reckless driving and other forms of extreme carelessness. Carey, Danis & Lowe has handled numerous wrongful death claims in Missouri and southern Illinois, including wrongful deaths stemming from serious car accidents. If you have lost someone you care about in a car accident and you believe another person’s negligence was to blame, we can help you learn about your legal options. To speak to an experienced auto accident lawyer today, contact the Lowe Law Firm online or call 1-877-678-3400 for a free consultation.
