CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - A Cook County judge has ordered the city of Chicago to pay nearly $5 million to the family of an elderly woman killed in 2019 crash initiated by a speeding police van.
84-year-old Verona Gunn, retired CPS teacher and great-great grandmother, died on May 25, 2019 after her car was struck by two police vehicles. A speeding police van red a red light and hit an unmarked police car. The collision resulted in both cars slamming into Gunn’s vehicle. Gunn did not survive the crash. Three other occupants were injured.
Wednesday, a Cook County jury rewarded Gunn’s family $4.75 million in the wrongful death case, one of the highest monetary verdicts in Illinois for someone in their 80s.
The trial determined both CPD cars neglected police protocol, driving through a traffic signal without determining it was safe to do so. The police department has admitted liability. One of the officers who was driving, Patrick Brown was fired. While the other driving officer, Noel Reina no longer works in the department.
“This jury honored their oath and made the City of Chicago accountable for the tragic and untimely death of Mrs. Verona Gunn. How many more innocent lives need to be taken away before the City’s leadership and our next Mayor mandate constitutional policing in Black communities,” said Action Injury Law Group Managing Director Andrew M. Stroth.
The three other victims in the 2019 crash will receive the remaining of the $4.93 million verdict for their physical and emotional suffering.
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