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Wilson "Alex" Lopez-Ochoa, 21, was driving his 1990 Honda Civic out of a Waukegan, Illinois laundromat's parking lot late at night in early 2005 when his car was slammed into on the passenger's side by a Waukegan Police squad car. Lopez-Ochoa died a few hours later of multiple injuries due to blunt force trauma.
Wrongful Death
The wrongful death lawsuit filed by the Lopez-Ochoa family against the city of Waukegan ended recently in a jury verdict against the city for $2.03 million, including $20,000 for funeral and burial expenses, $12,992 for medical expenses, and $2 million for loss of a family member. The Lake County Circuit Court jury found Lopez-Ochoa 100 percent blameless in the accident, although the city's lawyer alleged that Lopez-Ochoa was negligent by pulling in front of the squad car.
However, Waukegan police traffic investigators on the scene determined that the squad car, driven by Officer Michael Newman, was traveling at 40 mph at the time of the impact — 10 mph over the posted speed limit. Newman also did not have the squad car's siren or flashing light turned on; it was not an emergency situation.
A Family's Sorrow
The family's attorney, Lawrence Ruder, noted during the trial that "Had Officer Newman simply followed the law, we would not be here…Alex did not have to die. The Lopez family will have to live with this loss for the rest of their lives; there will be an empty seat at the dinner table."
(Source: wbbm780.com)
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