Catastrophic Police Chase Ends In Personal Injury Lawsuit Years Later

In Tacoma, Washington on April 22, 2004, Dino Johnston’s aspirations of serving his country at the capacity of a United State’s military officer literally came to crashing halt as a police pursuit of another vehicle caused a horrific collision involving Johnston’s vehicle.  The resulting injuries the ROTC Scholar at Pacific Lutheran University sustained, including contusions, lacerations, a broken arm, a broken leg, broken pelvis, and five ensuing operations, prevented Johnston from passing the mandatory physical fitness requirements for commission in the military. 

During the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department pursuit of suspects Lamar Stephens and Michelle Thompson, deputies chased the pair, at speeds in excess of 70 mph, down residential streets at 10 a.m. against department policy to call off pursuits when they were a clear and present danger to public safety.  The chase came to a tragic end at the intersection of 112th Street South and Yakima Avenue South when the Dodge Intrepid Stephens and Thompson were fleeing in crashed into Dino Johnston’s vehicle.  In their respective ensuing criminal trials, Thompson was charged with vehicular assault and Stephens for escape.  However, the extent of liability of for injuries sustained by Dino Johnston still could potentially been avoided had Pierce County Sheriff’s Department followed their own pursuit procedures.  The current civil litigation between Dino Johnston and the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department seeks to assess and answer these questions conclusively.

Excessive police action, or actions by the police that promote an unnecessary risk to innocent bystanders, have been ruled as grounds for a personal injury case in the past.  In addition, actions by police that provoked or permitted injury or death of individuals, such as by dangerous criminals being released on bond pending trial, have been deemed as potential liable actions by the police in the past.  Pending the court’s decision in regards to the police’s decision to continue the pursuit in light of the prevalence of danger to innocent civilians, Dino Johnston could receive up $924,000 in damages from the county.