Surveillance digital camera footage seems to contradict the official story of a crash involving a Chicago police officer and a Chevy Equinox. The unique story, as reported by CBS Information on June 22 when the crash occurred, was that the Equinox was driving west on Monroe Avenue and crashed into the police automobile heading south on Kostner Avenue, sending each automobiles spinning into different parked vehicles. Police cited the Equinox driver for driving with out insurance coverage and two different counts, in keeping with Fox 32.
Nevertheless, Fox 32Â additionally acquired video from surveillance cameras at a comfort retailer at that intersection that tells a somewhat completely different story. The Equinox stopped on the intersection with Kostner Avenue, allowed cross visitors to cross, then proceeded slowly into the intersection. The Chicago police automobile entered the intersection at a excessive charge of velocity whereas passing stopped visitors, slamming into the facet of the Equinox already within the intersection. Then each vehicles spun and crashed into parked vehicles, similar to the unique report stated.
The primary parked automobile they hit was a Volkswagen Taos with Danielle Howse, her fiancé and their three youngsters inside. They have been hospitalized in truthful situation, and the VW is totaled. There is no such thing as a data on accidents to the Equinox driver or the police officer, however deployed airbags in each automobiles are seen within the surveillance video. Airbags wouldn’t go off in a parked automobile, and there could be no motive to be sporting seat belts.
Police seem to have run a cease signal
The surveillance digital camera video within the Fox 32 information clip is fairly grainy, so I turned to Google Avenue View for a greater have a look at this intersection.
The above view is much like one of many angles from the surveillance video. Observe the cease signal on the best facet of the picture for southbound visitors on Kostner. Monroe is a one-way avenue, and we will see the again of a cease signal there as properly.
Under is the view northbound on Kostner simply earlier than the intersection with Monroe. That is the course the Chicago police cruiser was touring. Cease indicators are clearly seen on either side of the highway and on either side of the intersection. A Avenue View picture from 2015 reveals no cease indicators on Kostner Avenue, however the 2024 picture reveals them each.
These pictures, plus the surveillance video, present not solely that the officer entered the intersection at a excessive charge of velocity, but additionally ignored these cease indicators and didn’t verify for cross visitors earlier than continuing. The Equinox driver stopped, then proceeded once they believed the intersection was clear, probably unable to see the fast-moving cruiser across the stopped visitors on Kostner. Based mostly on the cruiser’s velocity and the Equinox driver not reacting in any respect earlier than the crash, it is probably the Equinox driver by no means noticed the officer.
Cop cover-up
We do not know why the Chicago police officer was driving as quick or recklessly as they have been. However even in a pursuit, police are accountable for preserving the general public protected. That is why many departments have strict guidelines about when a pursuit is justified, and why New York Lawyer Basic Letitia James has proposed a statewide ban aside from very particular circumstances.
We would need to see extra of the surveillance footage to make certain, however it would not appear like there was any pursuit concerned right here, simply quick driving. Fox 32 says the cruiser’s emergency lights have been on, although IÂ cannot see them clearly within the video myself. The video has no sound, so we do not know if the siren was on. If it was, that would have been a clue to the Equinox driver to pay nearer consideration. Then once more, sirens are so widespread within the metropolis that they will additionally mix into the background noise. Regardless, there is no motive for anybody to cost via a cease signal and throughout an intersection that quick, even a cop.
Even worse, Chicago police to date proceed responsible the Equinox driver for hitting the cruiser, regardless of clear video proof that the cruiser T-boned the Equinox at excessive velocity. It’s miles from the primary time police have lied, and sadly, it most likely will not be the final.
