A car accident lawsuit alleging a motorist struck a police cruiser while a woman was handcuffed in the backseat is at trial in Madison County Circuit Judge Andreas Matoesian’s courtroom.
The trial began Nov. 28.
Stephen Buser of Columbia represents plaintiff Alisha Burke.
Michael Murphy of Freeark Harvey & Mendillo PC in Belleville represents defendant Mark Robinson.
In her May 2014 lawsuit, Burke alleges she was riding in a 2013 Ford Taurus, which was operated by Alton Police officer Stephen W. January.
The officer stopped at the intersection of Pearl and Silver Streets in Alton when Robinson allegedly collided with the cruiser, causing her to sustain severe and permanent injurie, the suit states.
Burke alleges Robinson caused the collision by negligently failing to keep his vehicle under proper control, failing to observe the vehicle she was in, failing to keep a proper lookout for other vehicles, driving into January’s stopped vehicle and failing to drive entirely within his lane.
Robinson denied liability and argues that the plaintiff failed to mitigate her damages.
Burke seeks a judgment of more than $50,000, plus court costs.
Madison County Circuit Court case number 14-L-681