High-Speed Police Car Chases Wreck Cars and Lives

In 2008 I represented the family of three brothers who were tragically killed in a high speed police chase returning home from a Christmas pageant. The wreck resulted in four young boys losing their lives. While the Louisville Metro PD (LMPD) had recently established a stricter policy regarding the protocol used in high speed police car chases, I was able to show that they did not follow the “new” safer policy and won the case.

The case was settled nine years later. In the Louisville Courier-Journal article covering the settlement, I was quoted as saying “that if police had complied with standard operating procedures, “the deaths of four children would not have happened.”

In December of 2012, one of the strictest police pursuit policies in the country was put into place, with several updates following. That policy was reversed in 2019. In July , I wrote about the fact that the 2012 policy was reversed – a reversal that I found infuriating. The policy was set up to curb high speed chases that have led to too many deaths in Louisville. In reversing that policy, there continue to be unnecessary tragedies involving high speed police car chases.

Louisville Courier-Journal is again addressing this in a three part feature titled “7 dead, 58 hurt: Do Louisville police need to slam the brakes on high-speed pursuits?” They again quoted me on the concern about this trend.

As quoted in the Louisville Courier-Journal article:
“Louisville attorney William McMurry understands the cost. He represented the family of three brothers killed in 2008 when police chased a car in which the boys, returning home from a field trip to a Christmas pageant, were passengers.

“The truth is, you can’t make a high-speed pursuit safe,” McMurry commented.

I chose to represent the family involved in the 2008 case because they needed a crusader on their side. I supported the strict policy set up after our case was concluded because I hoped it might ensure that I would never have to represent the family of another life lost in such a case, but I will continue to represent victims involved in such cases to make sure they have a voice.