Man sues over police-chase injuries

ST. ANN, Mo. -- A man is suing a St. Louis suburb and its police department after suffering serious injuries in a collision that resulted from a police chase this summer.

Brent Cox, 55, filed a lawsuit against St. Ann and its police department in August, alleging negligence that includes violation of local and state traffic laws.

Cox was one of at least five people hospitalized after a police chase ended in a four-vehicle crash June 6. He wasn't the person police were pursuing.

Cox alleged he was driving home from work when he was struck. He said he suffered a broken spine and ankle, cracked ribs and a lacerated liver from the crash.

"I didn't ask for none of this," said Cox, adding that he now can hardly walk, has problems eating and can't afford to live on his own.

The lawsuit alleged officers were on a pursuit eastbound out of St. Ann and into St. Louis traveling above the speed limit, failing to use flashing lights and a siren, and failing to discontinue the chase "when it became apparent that chasing the vehicle created a danger to the public."

Police Chief Aaron Jimenez said he doesn't want to see anyone injured during a chase, but that officers won't sit idle if a suspect doesn't pull over.

"It would be easy to sit back and not chase anybody and not do police work. But do you feel good letting suspects get away with crime?" Jimenez asked.

The department has trained officers on new technology officials believe will decrease the number of chases and expects to start using the devices this week. The StarChase technology is a GPS tracking device that officers can discharge from the police vehicle with a console or remote launch key that attaches to a suspect's vehicle.

Jimenez said the technology will allow officers to monitor the vehicle from afar and reduce the potential for accidents.

Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, http://www.stltoday.com