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Police chases are always interesting questions for the public. Should they happen? What should the responsibility be if a innocent person becomes involved? Is it worth it?

Injuryboard member Rick Shapiro had a interesting look at the issue:

When A Police Chase Results in Traffic Accidents, Who is Responsible?, Rick Shapiro | June 04, 2010 7:41 PM

The same thing happened in St Cloud on Friday. The drug task force was looking for Timothy Richard Gilles because of a drug warrant from Wright county. The St Cloud Times reported:

the Central Minnesota Drug Task Force asked for a marked squad car to help stop a vehicle just before 5 p.m. A Waite Park police officer and Stearns County deputies found the vehicle, a red Jeep Grand Cherokee, on Minnesota Highway 15 near Second Street.

Gilles was northbound on Highway 15 in the Jeep and started to speed west in the eastbound lane of Second Street South, police say.

The Waite Park officer followed the vehicle about half a mile before the collision near Waite Avenue.

The Jeep hit the driver’s side of a vehicle driven by a 30-year-old man who died as a result of the collision.

A 22-year-old woman who was eight months pregnant was a passenger. She was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with substantial injuries, police say, and was in serious but stable condition Friday night.

The guy they were chasing ran away and was later tased and captured.

Clearly, the police didn’t want to have this happen. Unfortunately, that isn’t the question that needs to be asked. Was proper procedure followed? Is what needs to be asked.

Early investigation will be important by a outside organization that isn’t looking for a certain conclusion. Video tapes and radio communications will need to be secured and reviewed for what was being said and done. Tough questions, but it will be important that they be asked.

Our sympathies go out to all of those involve who were injured or lost. As with any death in a Minnesota motor vehicle collision, there are a number of issues that will need to be reviewed. My partner, Joe Crumley, addressed this topic in a article for the Minnesota Lawyers Trial magazine. I was interviewed on the same topic.

6 Comments

  1. Gravatar for James Horan
    James Horan

    Two people dead all because of police chasing a druggie. So sad. Last police chase in St.Cloud in December ended in more deaths of innocent people. Is it worth it in with all the state of the art tools available to capture someone.

  2. Mike Bryant

    That is a question that needs to be asked. It really is sad. Thanks for reading and the comment.

  3. Gravatar for A
    A

    the police chase lasted only a few minutes. it started on highway 15 near second street and ended on 2nd street, 1 maybe 2 blocks away from hwy 15 where the pursuit began. there are witnesses who say that the police did begin to pull back as soon as they neared town. i believe the only person to blame here is the criminal who fled police. It is tragic that innocent lives were lost but I feel very strongly that the police did nothing wrong and cannot comprehend how anyone can blame them.

  4. Mike Bryant

    With almost anything that happens people jump to conclusions and often assign fault. You may be totally correct in your conclusion, but the questions need to be asked. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment.

  5. Gravatar for James Horan
    James Horan

    The police do have an unthankful job. Still; if it was my grandchild; and/or son/daughter that was killed in a police chase to arrest a low-life druggie. THE CHECKS AND BALANCES DO NOT ADD UP.

    These "Normal" Human responses to high energy, adrenilin fed chases must be highly scrutinized; for there are "options", and with all the modern tools now available to law enforcement these days to locate and arrest. Read between the lines:you can run but you can't hide; its just a matter of time and you will get caught; in lieu of the "life long" pain these law abiding families go through when innocent family members are injured or cease to exist just to arrest some low-life, 2-bit criminal. Its just not worth it!!! Wake UP America!

  6. Mike Bryant

    Very true John. It is very important that the overall policy be looked at. Thanks for the comment and taking the time to stop by.

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