The Chief Justice of San Andreas has ruled that the Los Santos Police Department wrongfully injured Jaxson Corsair, Tommy Legend and Macy Corsair, when Officer Derek Wilson (then a Cadet) crashed into the Black Lotus Public Ride. The award to the plaintiffs is over 66,000 dollars.
On the 6th of April, the court heard arguments from representatives for the Black Lotus Motorcycle Club (BLMC), alleging an officer of the Los Santos Police Department, crossed into the opposite lanes of traffic, crashed into their regularly scheduled Public Ride, injuring a number of people, and causing a series of life-altering injuries.
Cadet Wilson was travelling Eastbound on Route 68 and momentarily cut into the westbound lanes of travel to pass around a local driver. At that moment the bikers from the Black Lotus Public Ride were coming westbound on Route 68. Cadet Wilson’s vehicle struck at least two of the bikes, bringing the convoy to a halt. [Detective] Lombardi and Cadet Wilson immediately stopped and exited their vehicle to provide medical aid to the injured parties.
LSPD Incident Report
In their opening statement, lawyer Hydra Dalton, representing the MC, detailed the horrific and life-altering injuries sustained by those who were struck by the vehicle, which ranged from loss of mobility to internal injuries and amputations.
What was once a peaceful event, became a horrific memory.
Hydra Dalton
Detailed in the initial complaint from the MC, One participant is recovering in a wheelchair after fracturing their arm and leg, and a large laceration to their forehead. Another has suffered an amputation, lung colapse and fractures to their skull and liver damage.
The MC also alleged that the officers didn’t use their sirens while crossing into the opposite lanes, providing testimony from participants that stated they might have seen lights but didn’t hear any sirens. The LSPD Officers testified that they were responding in accordance with policy with lights and sirens activated.
Lawyers representing the Los Santos Police Department acknowledged that the incident occurred in their opening statement, but defended the actions of the cadet saying they drove and acted within the departments policy. They also objected against the claims that the officers didn’t immediately render aid or weren’t transported to hospital by medical or law enforcement staff.
Officer Wilson, the driver of the police vehicle which struck the convoy testified that he was driving 70-80 miles per hour at the time. However the incident report, written by another officer, states otherwise.
Det Lombardi and Cadet Wilson were attempting to catch up to the pursuit at that time, when Cadet Wilson was driving the vehicle from Mount Vinewood Drive to Route 68 at speeds upwards of 100 MPH.
LSPD Incident Report
Officer Wilson also testified that they attempted to fix their vehicle before rendering aid to others but they did render aid to those injured.
In their closing statements, the state questions the credibility of the witnesses testimonies by arguing that the rapid pace of the event would have affected their memory. They also argue that Officer Wilson was responding to a ‘True Emergency’ and therefore wasn’t in the wrong when the incident occurred.
It is truly unfortunate that the incident occurred, but attributing fault to Officer Wilson or the Los Santos Police Department neglects the wider context: the quick and necessary response to a situation that posed a risk to public safety, a situation not of the police’s making.
Garry Shoeman, Assistant State Attorney
The Plaintiffs reaffirmed their argument that the officer and the department was at fault for the incident, and that this wouldn’t have occurred if the officer remained on the correct side of traffic and wasn’t driving at fast speeds. They also allege that perjury was committed on the stand and that some form of accountability should be made.
Overall, it has been made abundantly clear – well past a “preponderance of evidence” – that LSPD is at fault for this incident. We cannot blame Officer Wilson for his actions on that day – his employers should have ensured he was trained properly for duty and shouldn’t have let a cadet drive on his second day on duty. We can, however, respectfully ask that he be held accountable for the perjury that occurred on the stand today.
Hydra Dalton, Representing BLMC
On the 17th of April, the Chief Justice handed down his decision, stating that the conditions for wrongful injury existed for all injured, however that punitive damages were not reached. The Los Santos Police Department will need to pay $66,113 to the trio for the wrongful injury and associated vehicle repairs.
After reviewing Plaintiff’s exhibits B, C, and D this Court notates that there is a sharp corner, in which would allow for blind spots, at which point Law Enforcement should have briefly slowed their vehicle for the safety of themselves, and the general public.
Kylian Clarkson, Chief Justice of San Andreas
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