City: Perry Township, Ohio

County: Lake County, Ohio

Date: September 27, 2010

Type: Fatal One-Car Accident

A 30-year-old Pittsburgh man was killed on the roads of Perry Township September 27. According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the man was involved in a high-speed car chase with the Perry Township Police Department. He lost control of the vehicle, went off of the road, and struck a fire hydrant. He then proceeded to hit a telephone pole and a parked car. The man was not wearing his seat belt. Authorities say drugs and alcohol were allegedly involved. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.

There has been quite a lot of discussion lately on the role of police in high speed chases. Some politicians feel that the danger of the high speed chase is only justified in serious criminal activities.  The danger to citizens during high speed chases is a real possibility. If a bystander is injured during a high speed chase, he or she may have a claim against the person running from the police if their negligence contributed to the injury. The person may also have a claim against the police, but this can be a lot harder to win.  In addition to arguments about immunity, the injured person would probably have to prove that the police were reckless, which is a higher standard than mere negligence. This can be a hard thing to prove. If you are ever injured as a passenger in a high speed chase or as a bystander you should call an experienced personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal rights.  Luckily no bystanders were hurt in the above accident.

Lake County, Ohio (population 227,511) had a total of 5,998 reported accidents in 2008, with 13 of those being fatal. 1,325 of the total crashes were injury crashes (1,814 total injuries). Perry Township, Ohio (population 8,240) had a total of 139 reported accidents in 2008.


If you've been seriously injured or have lost a loved one in a Perry Township truck / car accident, call the Lake County auto accident and wrongful death attorneys / lawyers at Chester Law Group at 1-800-218-4243 or order your FREE BOOK entitled The Insider’s Guide to Handling Ohio Accident Claims at www.ChesterLaw.com.