Inspection Detail

Inspection: 314811985 - Village Of Cowden - Police Department

Inspection Information - Office: Illinois Public Sector 0551702

Investigation Summary

On August 10, 2010, Employee #1, an officer of the Village of Cowden-Police Department, was patrolling with a new officer, Employee #2, in a squad car. The officers wanted to stop a full size, red Dodge Pick Up truck because there were no license plates displayed on the truck's vehicle. As they reached a traffic stop, the truck fled south on First Street. There was a 10 to 12 mile pursuit of the truck's driver. Two Altamont police officers provided backup, as the chase approached the Altamont area. After crossing the overpass of US Highway 40 the squad car went through a fairly good size dip in the road surface, which either sent the squad car airborne, or caused Employee #1 to lose control of the vehicle. The squad car steered away from the left side of the road and struck a ditch. The vehicle rolled many times, approximately 400 to 500 ft, as it came to a final rest. Employee #1 was apparently not wearing his seat belt, and he was ejected from the vehicle. Employee #2 was apparently wearing her seat belt, and she remained in the front passenger seat. Employee #1 was found on the passenger side, approximately 100 ft to the north of where the vehicle came to rest. Employee #1 was airlifted from the scene to a hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries, but later died. Employee #2 was also airlifted to Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, with minor unspecified injuries, and was treated and later released.

Keywords: EJECTED, VEHICLE, SPEEDING, WORK RULES, DRIVER, SEAT BELT, RESTRAINING DEVICE