What is Classified as Property Damage?
Property damage is any damage or destruction of real or tangible personal property, caused by negligence, willful destruction, or an...
Read More8730 Wilshire Boulevard, California 90211
Get Help Now
A high-speed pursuit that began when a suspect stole a car with three children inside ended when the suspect caused a four-car collision.
Los Angeles Sheriff’s deputies arrived at a 7-Eleven in the 5100 block of East Olympic Boulevard in East Los Angeles on August 29, 2025 after a man reportedly stole a Chrysler sedan with three children inside.
The children’s mother told deputies she had parked her vehicle outside the store and left the engine running with her three children inside. According to the family, the children are 9, 7 and 2 years old. Their father parked next to them and was in his vehicle as the mother entered the store.
That’s when police said the suspect got into the woman’s car and began to drive away. The father got out of his car and attempted to intervene, getting dragged a short distance by the suspect before falling to the ground. Deputies said he sustained injuries to his upper body.
Shortly thereafter, East Los Angeles Station deputies located the suspect, but he fled when they attempted to stop him. The suspect led the chase across the city, getting on the Pacific Coast Highway near Santa Monica. The chase ended when the suspect ran a red light and slammed into an unsuspecting driver making a left turn onto PCH from Kanan Dume Road in Malibu, sparking a four-vehicle crash.
All three kidnapped children sustained serious injuries, but doctors expect them to survive. The suspect and another driver in the crash, as well as the children’s father, were seriously injured as well.
On camera, officers justify high-speed chases that seriously injure, or even kill, innocent parties as unfortunate but necessary law-enforcement tools. Off camera, most officers admit that they cannot live without the “get the bad guy” adrenaline rush.
As a result, high-speed chases are, by far, the most dangerous law enforcement activity. Every year, reckless chases kill or seriously injure far more people than reckless shootings or other such cases. The same doctrine that protects officers in these situations also makes it difficult, but not impossible, for a Los Angeles Car Accident Attorney to obtain compensation for families. More on that below.
Compensation in a negligence case usually includes money for economic losses, such as medical bills, and noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering. Usually, the city, county, or other government entity that employed the reckless officers is financially responsible for damages in these cases.
In response to all this, various law enforcement agencies have altered their anti-chase policies, without much success. Policies change, but the underlying law remains the same.
To pierce the aforementioned official immunity defense, a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer must prove that pursuing officers went too far. Factors to consider include:
Basically, if police officers acted recklessly, they exceeded the limits of their official duties, and official immunity doesn’t apply.
Police officers can go after bad guys, but they must still color within the lines. For a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer in California, contact the Law Offices of Eslamboly Hakim. The sooner you reach out to us, the sooner we start working for you.
We’re here to ease your stress and guide you through every step of recovery.
Get Support NowTag:
I like the fight – the fight to hold Big Insurance accountable, the fight to find justice for real people, and the fight to level the playing field for...Read More