Alexander v. City of Indianapolis
Case Background
Cause
On December 30, 2019, Jacki Alexander, 61, underwent a CT scan to monitor her cancer treatment. Afterward, her husband, 64-year-old Charles Alexander, drove them home. The couple had been married for 43 years. Charles had a long career in IT and was still working at a financial services company at the time of the incident.
That afternoon, Charles drove south on Oaklander Road in Lawrence, with Jacki in the front passenger seat. They stopped for a red light at the intersection of Oaklander Road and Pendleton Pike.
Meanwhile, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police (IMPD) were searching for Dewayne Gray, who was wanted for a probation violation related to a gun charge. The police had placed a residence in Lawrence under surveillance, suspecting Gray might be there. Around noon, they observed a man leaving the house and driving off in a 2015 Dodge Challenger.
The officers mistakenly believed the man was Gray, but it was actually Marcel Carter, who had only visited the residence to attend his niece’s birthday party. Carter had no criminal history or warrants.
Despite this, the police followed Carter and stopped him on a pretextual traffic violation. Carter later claimed the officers approached aggressively with guns drawn, and fearing for his safety, he fled back toward the residence, initiating a high-speed chase.
The pursuit reached speeds of 120 mph, with police from Lawrence, Fortville, and McCordsville joining in. During the chase, officers in Lawrence noticed Gray had arrived at the residence and informed the pursuing officers. However, the chase continued.
Around 1:00 pm, as Charles entered the intersection of Pendleton Pike and Oaklander Road on a green light, Carter, running a red light, collided with Charles’s vehicle at 80 mph. The crash caused Charles’s Ford Explorer to roll over.
Injury
Damages
The lawsuit was filed with the purpose of seeking compensation for the wrongful death of Charles Alexander and the injuries sustained and medical expenses incurred by his wife, Jacki Alexander
Key Arguments and Proceedings
Legal Representation
- Plaintiff(s): Jacki Alexander | Estate of Charles Alexander
- Counsel for Plaintiff(s): Rachel A. East | Janet Davis Hocker
- Defendant(s): City of Indianapolis
- Counsel for Defendant(s): Matthew Rayman | Jessica R. Gastineau
Claims
Defense
The remaining Defendant, the City of Indianapolis, initially claimed immunity under the Tort Claims Act. However, the court rejected this defense.
Afterward, the City of Indianapolis changed its approach. It argued that the crash and the Plaintiffs’ damages were caused by the superseding and intervening actions of others, specifically Carter.
Jury Verdict
Court Documents:
Available upon request
Leave A Comment