DURHAM, N.C. – The city of Durham has reached a settlement with the estate of Brooke Lyn Maynard, an off-duty Durham detention officer who was tragically killed more than five years ago. Maynard, a single mother at 24 years old, lost her life when a suspect attempting to evade the police collided with her car. The settlement award will support Maynard’s daughter, who was just four years old when her mother passed away.
The settlement agreement, which was initially confidential and reached in August 2023, granted Maynard’s estate a total of $2.25 million. Out of this amount, $1 million was provided by taxpayer funds, with the remainder coming from the city’s insurance policy. Attorneys representing Maynard’s estate, Don Strickland and Don Beskind, assert that this settlement is the first of its kind in North Carolina.
Strickland expressed that the attorneys believed the circumstances surrounding Maynard’s case were especially egregious, justifying their pursuit of legal action. Beskind acknowledged that prevailing in similar cases in North Carolina can be challenging, requiring a level of negligence beyond the ordinary. However, they pointed to body and dash camera footage from the Durham Police pursuit as evidence supporting their claims.
The video, previously reported by WRAL News, depicted officers pursuing a stolen car that had been involved in a carjacking earlier that day. The pursuit lasted approximately ten minutes, with the car at times traveling in the wrong direction on one-way roads in busy downtown areas. Strickland asserted that the officers’ determination to apprehend the suspect put the lives of innocent Durham citizens at risk.
Maynard’s loved ones shared their heartfelt sentiments about her in a mediation video presented during the court proceedings. Her family and friends highlighted Maynard’s impact on their lives and expressed sadness over the loss experienced by her young daughter, who even wished for her mother’s return when speaking to Santa Claus.
Beskind and Strickland acknowledged their clients’ satisfaction with the settlement amount but emphasized their desire for change within the Durham Police Department. They believed that a systemic problem contributed to the tragic incident and called for greater caution to be exercised during pursuits. The attorneys expressed concerns that anyone’s family members could have been in a similar situation and stressed the importance of preventing such avoidable tragedies.
As the city of Durham settles with the estate of Brooke Lyn Maynard, her story serves as a reminder of the devastating consequences that can arise from police pursuits. The settlement not only secures financial support for Maynard’s young daughter but also highlights the need for improved protocols and considerations to prevent similar incidents in the future.