Jury Rules for City of Mishawaka in Fatal Police Chase
Table of Contents
Case Background
On December 2, 2020, tragedy struck in a quiet Mishawaka neighborhood when a high-speed police pursuit ended in a deadly crash. Shane Neher and Tammy Duncan’s daughter, 17-year-old Elizabeth Johnson-Neher, rode as a front-seat passenger in a car that lawfully crossed the intersection of 13th Street and Spring Street. At that same moment, a silver Pontiac Grand Prix, fleeing from Mishawaka police officers, slammed into her vehicle. The collision ejected both vehicles’ occupants and claimed Elizabeth’s life instantly.
The grieving parents sued the City of Mishawaka, claiming its police officers had recklessly continued a dangerous chase through a residential area, disregarding the safety of bystanders. The city denied wrongdoing and maintained that its officers acted lawfully while responding to a crime in progress.
Cause
The case centered on whether Mishawaka police officers acted negligently by continuing a pursuit that endangered innocent motorists. Officers had chased a suspect who fled on foot after allegedly kicking in a residential door. The suspect entered the Pontiac driven by Jessie Ricardo Lottie Jr., who sped away. Police followed the car through several residential intersections where the speed limit was 30 mph.
According to the complaint, the pursuit reached unsafe speeds and continued despite the absence of a violent crime or imminent threat. Plaintiffs argued that the pursuit violated accepted safety stand
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