CLEVELAND — A Cleveland police officer didn't ask for permission for a chase that had deadly results for a father of six.
That is one of several findings by an investigator with the Office of Professional Standards and the Civilian Police Review Board.
That officer, an 18-year veteran of the Cleveland Division of Police assigned to the Traffic Unit, could face discipline after police watchdog findings show he violated policies.
Last week, Michael Yearout's father got a letter from OPS, which investigates citizen complaints against Cleveland Police.
Gregory Yearout, Sr., filed a complaint in August 2024, six months after his son died.
Michael Yearout's family wanted answers in the deadly crash and police pursuit.
RELATED: No charges in Cleveland police pursuit not called in; driver died in Linndale crash
It was Feb. 19, 2024, when Yearout ran a red light and crashed into the undercarriage of a semi at W. 117th Street and Bellaire Road in Linndale.
Surveillance video from W. 130th Street shows a Cleveland officer pulling out of a daycare parking lot and getting behind Yearout with lights on.
Yearout's friend, Paul Yeagle, witnessed it and told his family what he saw.
“If I had not been following him they would not have known," Yeagle said.
RELATED: Witness questions Cleveland police pursuit and deadly crash under internal investigation
"All he had to do is write down the license plate and come knock on the door and give him his ticket," Gregory Yearout said.
Last year, News 5 Investigators uncovered an internal city memo showing the officer never called in the pursuit.
During a Civilian Police Review Board meeting on Oct. 14, the officer was found to have violated police policies by engaging in an unauthorized pursuit, failing to document a traffic stop, and not notifying dispatch.
It was also discovered that the officer did not turn on his body camera, not just for Michael Yearout's traffic stop but four other times that day.
“You don’t know your job I don’t feel he should be out here serving the public and protecting us because you can’t even do your job right," Gregory Yearout said.
An investigator with OPS said the officer told internal affairs he did not see the crash that killed Michael Yearout in Linndale near the Cleveland border.
It was mentioned during the CPRB meeting, a Linndale camera saw the officer turn onto the highway prior to the accident.
“Why didn’t you just head right back to 130th, where you were sitting at? That’s something I can’t understand why would he jump on the highway and go out of his jurisdiction," Gregory Yearout said.
Internal affairs found the officer was not responsible for the death, and prosecutors criminally cleared him. It now goes to police Chief Annie Todd for disciplinary review.
News 5 Investigator asked Yearout's father what he would say to Chief Todd.
"I would like to see him punished. I would like to see him lose his job because I don’t believe he deserves that job," Gregory Yearout said.
Chief Todd has not yet received the recommendations from the Civilian Police Review Board.
But there's another whole process once she does.
A hearing will be scheduled. Todd can either agree with the recommendations or dismiss them.
If she decides to discipline the officer, it goes back to the police watchdogs, who move forward with it.
