The family of Austin resident Pierre Shelton has filed a lawsuit against the Oak Park Police Department, claiming that a police chase of a motorist on March 9 resulted in a car crash that killed Shelton and his girlfriend, Joy Tyus.
The lawsuit is exploratory in its claim that the Oak Park Police Department chased Harrison, according to Tim Cavanagh of Cavanagh Law Group, who is representing the family. He said in a telephone interview that the lawsuit must make allegations in order to get access to evidence such as surveillance video recorded the night of the incident.
Cavanagh filed an emergency motion to get the evidence. Police have 14 days to comply.
Cavanagh said police pursuits are inherently dangerous and put innocent bystanders’ lives in danger.
“The city [of Chicago] has changed their policies because they are so dangerous and so many innocent people have been injured and maimed that police pursuits should not be undertaken for minor traffic offenses and the like,” he said.
