May 2016:  An improperly conducted police vehicular pursuit and improper police procedures matter settled for $1,500,000 prior to trial.

The matter involved an unmarked police vehicle in pursuit of a speeding vehicle.  During the course of the 31-second, three-tenths of a mile pursuit, the police vehicle attained speeds up to 74 mph in a 25 mph residential neighborhood.  While attempting to apprehend the vehicle, the police vehicle struck a not-involved passing vehicle in an intersection.  The passing vehicle overturned and the driver sustained serious injuries.  The speeding vehicle was never apprehended.

Steve was retained to investigate the police pursuit and subsequent crash, and to evaluate the actions of the pursuing police officer in the light of the New Jersey Attorney General’s Police Vehicular Pursuit Guidelines.

In his investigation, Steve used downloaded data from the police vehicle’s Event Data Recorder (black box), and merged it with GPS data from the same police vehicle’s dash camera, and merged that data with information from video files taken from a nearby home surveillance camera system.  When all data were combined, Steve was able to identify with precision the police officer’s actions and inactions during his identification of the speeding vehicle, the pursuit of the vehicle and the crash involving the passing vehicle.

Steve’s investigation of the pursuit found that the investigating police officer failed to conduct an appropriately comprehensive investigation of the pursuit and the actions of the pursuing police officer.  A subsequent report was authored where commentary regarding appropriate police procedures was made.

The case particulars were published in the May 2016 Edition of New Jersey Jury Verdict Review and Analysis.  Click HERE to view the summary and analysis.