BELLEVILLE – A police officer engaged in a high speed pursuit for five miles during lunch hour along highways and residential streets before the vehicle he was pursuing crashed into another vehicle in the center of East St. Louis, a lawsuit claims.
Sheila Sheard filed suit Jan. 7 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Timonthy Lay and the City of Belleville, accusing the defendants of willfully, recklessly and wantonly operating his police vehicle during daylight hours on busy urban roadways far in excess of posted speed limits.
Sheard claims she was seriously injured following the March 2019, crash that ended the pursuit by the Belleville police officer of a vehicle carrying individuals suspected of theft. Lay, officer of Belleville Police Department, is accused of driving his patrol car at speeds of up to 119 miles per hour during the pursuit along interstates, highways, residential areas and business districts.
Belleville City Hall
| belleville.net
Jennifer Ferguson, the city's public relations officer, told the Madison Record: "The City of Belleville is not able to offer a statement or response for any pending law suits or criminal cases."
According to the lawsuit, Lay was in his patrol car on Interstate 64 near the intersection with Interstate 255 when he began to pursue a Nissan Rouge which contained two individuals believed involved in a theft at a store in Fairview Heights. It was later found they were not suspects, the complaint states.
Lay allegedly drove westbound on 255 at up to 119 mph, exited near Washington Park, then went south on Highway 111, according to the complaint, which added that the officer traveled towards and into East St. Louis, pursing the car into a residential neighborhood and then on to State Street.
“While Defendant Lay was still engaged in the high-speed pursuit of the Nissan Rogue, and while his car was still in close proximity to the Nissan Rogue, the westbound Rogue struck Plaintiff's eastbound vehicle on State Street near its intersection with North 31st Street at great speed and with great velocity,” according to the lawsuit.
The complaint added that Sheard sustained numerous, severe, and permanent injuries, and that she needed extensive and major past medical procedures and healthcare to treat her injuries.
Sheard, who is seeking more than $50,000 in damages, is represented by Alan G. Pittle and Eli Roberts of Brown and Crouppen in St. Louis.
The City of Belleville did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Record.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 2020-L-25.