Estate of woman killed in crash during police chase sues city

The estate of a woman who was killed in a crash during a Chicago Police chase in June filed a lawsuit against the city and police officers Friday.

Crystal Parks, special administrator to the estate of Amari Catchings, filed the wrongful death suit against the city and 20 police officers, according to the lawsuit.

About 4:30 p.m. June 16, a man was attempting to elude police in a suspected stolen Chevrolet Equinox in an alley east of State Street at or near 42nd Street, the suit said. The chase ended on 42nd Street between State and Wabash when the Equinox struck another vehicle.

Catchings, who was riding in the Equinox, was killed in the crash, the suit said.

The suit alleged that the city and officers who gave chase improperly engaged in the pursuit when it was not safe, failed to follow Office of Emergency Management and Communications commands and violating police general orders, among other allegations, the suit said. Through their actions, the city and officers were “willful and wanton through a course of action which showed an utter indifference to or conscious disregard for the safety of others.”

The driver of the Equinox is also being sued for negligence for his role in the crash, the suit said.

The suit seeks more than $50,000 in damages for each of the three counts.

A spokeswoman for the city of Chicago said she was not aware of the suit and declined to comment Friday night. The Fraternal Order of Police could not be reached Friday night.