July
21, 2000
LAWSUIT
FILED IN POLICE PURSUIT THAT KILLED CHICAGO WOMAN
On
Friday, July 21, 2000, Timothy J. Cavanagh of Lloyd &
Cavanagh filed a Wrongful Death lawsuit in the Circuit Court
of Cook County against the City of Chicago and Jesus Gomez
on behalf of the Estate of Dalia Santillana. The case is
titled Elizabeth Santillana, Special Administrator
of the Estate of Dalia Santillana v. City of Chicago, a
Municipal Corporation and Jesus Gomez, case number 00 L
008327. The case is pending before Judge Michael J. Hogan.
Ms.
Santillana was killed in a car crash on July 18, 2000 when
a vehicle driven by Jesus Gomez struck the Santillana vehicle
on 31st Street in Chicago. At the time of the collision,
patrol officers from the Marquette District were engaged
in a high-speed pursuit of the Gomez vehicle when he crossed
the center line of 31st Street and struck the Santillana
vehicle. Gomez was reportedly under the influence of narcotics
at the time of the collision.
Prior
to the collision, City of Chicago patrol officers were involved
in a high-speed police pursuit of the Gomez vehicle. The
lawsuit alleges that the patrol officers failed to call
off the police pursuit when it was apparent that Gomez was
driving recklessly at high speeds and posed a risk to the
public. Minutes before the crash with Dalia Santillana,
Gomez struck a truck at 31st Street and Lawndale Avenue.
Gomez was reportedly a major "gang banger" - one
whom the police wanted to pursue at any risk.
After
the lawsuit was filed, Judge Hogan entered a Protective
Order preserving all relevant evidence, including audiotapes
of the conversations between dispatchers of the police department
and the patrol officers. Judge Hogan ordered that the evidence
be turned over to the plaintiff's counsel by July 29, 2000.
Timothy
J. Cavanagh of Lloyd & Cavanagh stated:
The
Santillana family is distressed that the police department
risked the safety of Dalia Santillana by pursuing the
Gomez vehicle at high speeds in a residential area, for
apparently minor traffic violations. This practice of
high-speed pursuits, which has killed and maimed thousands
of innocent victims nationwide, must be undertaken in
only exceptional circumstances. Why this practice has
continued by the Chicago Police Department, despite numerous
deaths, injuries and multi-million dollar settlements
in resulting civil lawsuits, is disturbing.
Dalia
Santillana is survived by her daughter, Elizabeth Santillana.
