Suit against East St. Louis over badly maintained squad car set for status hearing

A status conference is set in a case filed by three St. Clair County residents who allege an East St. Louis police officer operated a poorly maintained squad car which hit and injured them.

The conference is set for 9 a.m. on Dec. 9 before St. Clair County Circuit Judge Lloyd Cueto.

Cueto continued a status conference set Nov. 22 in the suit filed by plaintiffs Delon Scruggs, Resheda Jones and Bryson Lee, the second such conference to be pushed off in November.

The three plaintiffs are suing the city for damages in excess of $20,000 and costs.

According to the complaint, Jones was driving and Scruggs and Lee were passengers when the East St. Louis squad car hit them.

The plaintiffs claim that the officer driving the car did not slow down or sound her sirens before hitting them.

The suit claims that East St. Louis knew that the car did not have working lights or sirens at the time of the accident.

The suit was filed in August.

The city filed its answer denying the claims and asserting immunity under the Local Governmental Tort Immunity Act on Sept. 27.

Kevin Sauter represents the plaintiffs.

Michael Wagner represents the city.

The case is St. Clair case number 10-L-434.