Mother of man killed in Englewood crash with driver fleeing police sues city

The mother of a man who was killed in a crash earlier this month with a driver who was fleeing police in the South Side Englewood neighborhood is suing the city, claiming the officers acted negligently in their pursuit.

Antonio Cowan, 24, of the Gresham neighborhood, died Oct. 1 after the vehicle he was riding in was struck by the fleeing suspect at the intersection of 69th Street and Loomis, according to Chicago police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Two other people who were in the vehicle with Cowan — 3-year-old Cabari Turner and his father, 25-year-old Chrishawn Turner — were also killed in the collision.

Cowan’s mother, Bonita Cowan, filed the wrongful death lawsuit Monday in Cook County Circuity Court. A spokesman for the lawyer representing the Turners, James Montgomery Jr., announced Sunday that a separate suit was “imminent,” but provided no additional details.

At 7:07 p.m. the night of the crash, officers saw a car speeding east on 69th Street, police said. After initially turning on their emergency lights and following the erratic driver, the officers disengaged and stopped their pursuit.

The eastbound car then failed to stop at a light at 69th Street and Loomis and crashed into the vehicle Cowan and the Turners were traveling in, authorities said. The impact caused the vehicle to collide with two other vehicles that were also stopped at the intersection.

Cowan and Chrishawn Turner were rushed to University of Chicago Medical Center, while Cabari Turner was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital, authorities. They all died within hours of the crash.

Autopsies revealed that all three died from injuries related to the crash, and their deaths were ruled accidents, the medical examiner’s office said.

The other passenger in the vehicle, a 2-year-old girl, was taken to Stroger Hospital for observation, police said. Three people from other vehicles, including a 6-year-old boy, were also hurt.

The suit claims the pursuing officers trailed the speeding sedan at a high rate of speed and were following “at a distance” at the time of the crash, which they witnessed.

According to the suit, the pursuing officers communicated with employees at a city dispatch center, including at least one supervisor or superior.

The suit holds that the city — through its employees — was willful and wanton, reckless and displayed a conscious disregard for public safety by engaging in a pursuit “when the risk of injury or death outweighed the benefits of apprehending the driver of a speeding vehicle.”

In addition, the suit claims, the officers violated general police rules that prevent them from pursuing a suspect with multiple police vehicles and using lights and sirens while following a vehicle wanted for a hazardous traffic violation.

As a result of the crash, Cowan was injured and incurred medical bills before dying, according to the suit. He was also subjected to pain and suffering, emotional distress, disability and disfigurement before he was pronounced.

On top of that, his parents also incurred medical, funeral and burial expenses, the suit claims. They are now seeking more than $50,000 in damages.

The city’s Law Department didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.