Knoxville car wreck prompts wrongful death suit against officer

When we think about a wrongful death suit as it pertains to a car accident case, we typically think of one driver being at fault and facing the repercussions of his or her actions. Very rarely do we consider that those who are sworn to serve and protect may also be found liable in car accident cases where lives are lost. Nonetheless, this is exactly what happened in Knoxville, Tennessee, after the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) concluded their investigation into a deadly car crash.

A news report has confirmed that the THP concluded that a state trooper, who was engaged in a chase, purposely passed a car he had been pursing after it had wrecked. The driver of the crashed vehicle is believed to have died instantly during the car accident. The Tennessee Highway Patrol has fired the officer for his actions.

The trooper purportedly returned to the scene of the Knoxville crash after a woman called 911 to report that the car was on fire. In what can only be called a shocking statement, the trooper told investigators that he took out his fire extinguisher to “put on a show.” The officer originally stated that he did not see the car accident. However, investigators have determined that would have been impossible.

The parents of the man who lost his life in the car accident have now filed a $10 million suit against the officer for wrongful death. This story brings light to the fact that not all car accident cases are cut and dry. And while it’s certainly safe to say that this incident is something of a rarity, the story definitely provides a different perspective on personal injury.

Source: KnoxNews.com, “‘It looked like a parked car to me’: Trooper defends actions in chase, fatal wreck’,” Matt Lakin, Feb. 7, 2012