The Chicago City Council is being asked to approve a $6 million settlement with the family of Michael A. Jordan, who died after a stolen Jeep fleeing a police officer crashed into a CTA bus shelter in Jeffrey Manor. City lawyers recommended the payment, which the Finance Committee is scheduled to review Monday; the full council could vote Sept. 23, according to WTTW News.
Jordan, 27, was the father of three and was killed shortly before noon on June 30, 2019, near 99th Street and Van Vlissingen Road. Records cited by WTTW show that the Jeep struck Jordan and another person at the stop less than 30 seconds after the pursuit began. COPA data placed the Jeep's speed at 77 mph at the time of the crash, the outlet reported.
What the investigations and lawsuit address
The Jeep's driver fled on foot after the collision and was later apprehended and charged with reckless homicide and possession of a stolen vehicle, according to WTTW's account of COPA records. The family's lawsuit alleged that the pursuit violated Chicago Police Department policy, making the civil claim distinct from COPA's administrative review of the officers' conduct.
COPA found insufficient evidence to substantiate allegations against Officer Christopher Moore in connection with Jordan's death, WTTW reported. The agency recommended a three-day suspension for Officer Mark D'Amato, who did not activate his body-worn camera during the chase. Those administrative findings did not determine the family's separate civil claim against the city.
The policy question
CPD's General Order G03-03-01 requires officers to balance the need to apprehend a fleeing suspect against the danger a pursuit creates for the public, according to department directives. WTTW reported that CPD revised its rules in April 2019 to bar officers from initiating a pursuit when the most serious suspected offense was possession of a stolen motor vehicle. The department made additional changes in 2020 and 2022, including a provision barring supervisors from disciplining officers for ending a pursuit.
How pursuit rules and records are tracked
Illinois' statewide framework is less prescriptive than Chicago's department policy. The Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board says its pursuit guidelines are intended to inform agency policies, not create legal obligations. The guidelines also call for every agency engaging in a pursuit to complete an incident report and assign the incident a case reporting number.
In 2019, Chicago police launched 270 vehicle pursuits, and about two-thirds ended in crashes. Eight people died in those crashes, according to figures reported by WTTW from an analysis prepared for former Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
How the proposal compares
The proposed Jordan payment would follow several other large settlements involving police pursuits. The City Council approved $27 million in March for the family of Stacy Vaughn-Harrell, who was killed in a 2017 crash during a pursuit, according to CBS Chicago.
In January, the council approved a $22 million settlement for the family of 25-year-old Angel Eduardo Montesinos, who died after a fleeing vehicle crashed into his car during a June 2023 pursuit. The city's share was $20 million, with insurance covering $2 million, according to a release from Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C.
The Finance Committee has also rejected a proposed payout. Its 18-15 vote on Feb. 11 turned down an $8.25 million recommendation for the family of Dominga Flores Gomez, a 55-year-old mother of five who died in a September 2022 crash involving a vehicle fleeing police, CBS Chicago reported. The lawsuit is scheduled for trial Sept. 21.
Costs reported for pursuit cases
A City That Works, a newsletter that analyzes city misconduct payouts, reported that vehicle-pursuit cases generated $25.9 million in Chicago settlement payments during 2024, making the category the second-largest source of such payouts after reversed convictions. Separately, WTTW reported, based on its analysis of city data, that the city had spent at least $46 million resolving eight police-pursuit lawsuits since the start of 2026, while insurers had paid another $9 million.
The Finance Committee's decision will determine whether the Jordan proposal proceeds to the full council. Until that vote, the $6 million remains a recommendation rather than an approved settlement.
