Two brothers, Stephen and Richard Paper, aged 74 and 76, were critically injured in a car crash after their vehicle was struck by an LAPD patrol car traveling at 80 mph. The officer driving, Jason C. Stevenson, was assigned to patrol the area for street racing at the time of the incident. The LAPD investigation report blamed the officer for causing the crash due to unsafe speed.
The brothers have filed a negligence lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles and the LAPD, with their attorney, Robert S. Glassman, stating that the collision was emblematic of the danger posed by police officers exceeding the speed limit. The LAPD claimed that the officer was attempting to catch a speeding car at the time of the crash, although the investigation report indicated that had he been driving at the posted speed limit of 45 mph, the crash would not have occurred.
The lawsuit alleges that the officer’s reckless driving led to catastrophic injuries for the brothers, who are still undergoing in-patient care. Glassman emphasized that the officer did not have his lights and sirens on at the time of the crash, suggesting that there was no justification for his excessive speed. This incident underscores the risks associated with police officers exceeding speed limits, with a quarter of LAPD car chases in recent years resulting in collisions that often injure members of the public who are unrelated to the police action. The LAPD declined to comment on the specific allegations in the lawsuit, citing its policy of not discussing pending civil litigation.
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