The city of Chicago faces a $1.75 million payout to Eddie Banks Jr., a man left severely and permanently disabled after his car was hit by a vehicle fleeing police in 2018, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. The incident, which occurred on July 5 at the intersection of 83rd Street and Stony Island Avenue, involved John Tinker, the fleeing driver, who was being chased by Chicago Police Officers Kevin Gomez and Andrius Tkachuk; the chase, unauthorized by police supervision and in violation of several traffic signals, resulted in Tinker crashing into Banks' lawfully operated vehicle.
According to the details revealed, this settlement comes on the heels of a sizeable $45 million payout by the city to Nathen Jones, a 15-year-old who suffered catastrophic injuries from another police chase, a sum that marked one of the largest in Chicago's history and this backdrop might have played a part in heightening the stakes for the city and taxpayers, Eddie Banks Jr.'s case is but the latest in a disturbing continuity drawing urgent attention to the police department's handling of vehicular pursuits, a practice that has over the years necessitated overhauls to existing pursuit policies in a seemingly Sisyphean attempt to mitigate these tragedies.
As reported by WTTW News via an analysis of city data, Chicago taxpayers have borne the brunt of the financial burden for lawsuits arising from police pursuits, shouldering $74.4 million since 2019, with additional insurance coverage contributions amounting to $25 million.
City lawyers have urged the $1.75 million settlement with Banks, also recommending a resolution for another lawsuit which was as a result of a crash during a police pursuit the evaluation of such settlements isn't a mere exercise in fiscal reckoning but rather underscores a systemic issue that has consistently thrust the city into the throes of legal and moral turmoils. If the Finance Committee consents, the City Council could then vote on the settlement on October 9, pending any unforeseen impediments that might catalyze further public disdain or bureaucratic wrangling.
In a separate but similar context, the city also contends with another potential lawsuit payout totaling $445,000, to a teenager named Tilila Wade who was injured in a crash involving a police SUV; an officer responding to an emergency call had allegedly failed to use lights and sirens before entering the intersection, according to her lawsuit mentioned by WTTW News.
