Elizabeth Wall, mother of a Northeast Ohio woman killed in a crash involving a high-speed police chase, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against two Euclid police officers.
Michelle Wall, 44, was killed on March 17, 2024, when a stolen Jeep being pursued by a former Euclid police officer crashed into her car at East 156th Street and Calcutta Avenue in Cleveland.
Wall, a beloved mother of three sons and a grandmother, was on her way to church at the time, according to her family.
The lawsuit names Euclid Police Lt. Vashon Williams and former Euclid police officer Benjamin Wilcox.
It alleges Wilcox initiated the chase and that Williams, who was a sergeant at the time, authorized the pursuit.
"It was one of the most horrifying situations I've ever seen, one of the most ill-advised chases that I've ever seen," Stanley Jackson, Elizabeth Wall's attorney, said. "This chase should have never happened."
According to the lawsuit, the chase reached speeds of up to 120 miles per hour as Wilcox pursued the stolen Jeep from Euclid into Cleveland.
Allegations over first aid
Jackson said the officers violated the Euclid Police Department pursuit policies by continuing the chase under conditions that endangered the public.
"There was evidence that they probably could maybe catch those individuals later," Jackson said. "Unfortunately, Michelle Wall and her family do not have later because she's not here."
The lawsuit alleges that after the stolen Jeep crashed into Wall's car, she was ejected and found unresponsive. Instead of rendering first aid, it said Wilcox continued chasing the two suspects on foot instead.
The lawsuit also alleges that a nurse who witnessed the crash attempted to assist Wall, but was instructed by officers on scene to step away.
"We'll never know [if officers could have saved her life], but the reality is that they had a duty to try," Jackson said. "It's not serve and protect, it's protect and serve, so we would have hoped that Michelle Wall's life would have mattered enough that she was given the aid and care she deserved in the moment."
You can read the full lawsuit below:
EUCLID, Ohio —
Euclid's response
Euclid Police Captain Mitch Houser did not return a call seeking comment.
Euclid Law Director Patrick Cooney said he was unavailable for an on-camera interview Thursday.
However, Cooney told News 5 by phone the city reviewed the chase and crash and concluded the officers "did nothing wrong."
He said the crash was "an unfortunate event that happened" and that "the responsible party is in jail."Body camera video shows officers approaching the car and yelling at Wright to get out of his vehicle. One of the officers grabs his arm and Wright can be heard in the video saying the officer is hurting him. Seconds later, officers use a stun gun and pepper spray.
The city settled Wright's lawsuit for $475,000.
"I think Euclid has a very serious issue with use of force," Jackson said. "I think there should be some real serious discussion about how many use of force cases they have every year and what are the results of those cases."
"It's concerning for those of us who are driving past Euclid, people who live in Euclid, for those of us in the greater Cleveland community," Jackson said. "It's not a very safe police department."