Chicago, IL — A Cook County jury has awarded nearly $80 million in damages to a family from South Shore, whose young daughter was tragically killed during a police chase in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood of Chicago in 2020.
On September 2, 2020, 10-year-old Da’Karia Spicer lost her life in a devastating car accident while she was being driven by her father, Kevin Spicer. Also in the vehicle was her younger brother Dhaamir Spicer, who, along with his father, sustained injuries but survived the crash. The collision occurred as a result of a high-speed police chase initiated by the Chicago Police Department.
The city of Chicago had earlier conceded its culpability in the fatal incident following initial denials. This acknowledgment came as the lawsuit lodged by Da’Karia’s family advanced towards trial, shifting focus solely to the determination of the monetary compensation.
During the five-day court case, presided over by Cook County Judge Preston Jones Jr., the extent of not only the physical but also the immense emotional impact on the Spicer family was brought to light. The devastating effects on Da’Karia’s family underscored the trial’s testimony, which included personal accounts from her relatives, professional insights from doctors and mental health experts, and a poignant narrative from her father about the void left by the loss of his daughter. Kevin Spicer shared during his testimony how the tragedy robbed him of his daughter whom he described as the “bright shining star of the family.”
The lawsuit highlighted the rapid sequence of the crash, which unfolded as police pursued a black Mercedes traveling nearly 90 mph. The rash pursuit led the Mercedes directly into the path of the Spicer’s car. In an attempt to avoid the collision, Kevin Spicer pulled off to the side of the road, but their vehicle was struck with fatal consequences for young Da’Karia.
Legal representatives of the Spicer family, from the firm Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard, argued vehemently for a settlement proposed at $55 million before the trial commenced, but faced resistance from city insurers willing to settle only for $12 million. This stark contrast in settlement figures drew criticisms towards the city’s insurance providers, accused of gambling with tax-payer dollars and underestimating the Cook County jury’s valuation of the family’s profound losses.
Family attorney Patrick Salvi expressed the jury’s verdict as a recognition of the profound losses suffered and spoke on the dangers and responsibilities associated with police pursuits. “This case speaks to the extreme dangers of police pursuits,” Salvi noted, advocating for necessary reforms in police protocol to prevent future tragedies.
Furthermore, the attorneys have indicated plans to pursue legal action against the insurance carriers for their initial refusal to agree to a more suitable settlement before the case escalated to a trial.
This verdict not only addresses the financial compensation for the Spicer family but also resounds as a stark message about accountability and the need for caution in law enforcement procedures to prevent future tragedies.
The city representatives and attorneys for the insurance providers involved in the case have declined to provide comments on the verdict.
The Spicer family’s case thereby stands not only as a solemn remembrance of a young life lost but as a hopeful precedent for enhancing responsibility and care in law enforcement pursuits across the city.
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