PHOENIX — The Phoenix City Council is set to vote Wednesday on a $5.25 million settlement payment to the family of a toddler who was struck by a Phoenix police cruiser in June 2023.
The incident occurred in early June 2023 when a police officer and a police assistant were driving north on 11th Avenue near Buckeye Road. According to police, the officers were not responding to an active call at the time and had just finished on a previous call.
Police say the driver saw a girl in a nearby yard waving to alert the officers but didn't see the young toddler who had wandered into the street. The officers were looking at the girl, thinking she may have been waving them down but did not notice the child in the street until the last minute.
The officer driving attempted to stop, but hit the child, officials said.
The family's initial legal complaint alleged the officer was speeding and stated the toddler suffered "life-altering physical injuries, including traumatic brain injury, spinal fractures [and] paralysis,” among other problems.
However, Phoenix police tell ABC15 that the officer remains employed with the force and was found to be acting within policy. Vehicular crimes detectives investigated the crash in 2023.
"What I can say is detectives have told me speed is not believed to be a factor in this collision,” Sgt. Brian Bower told ABC15 the night of the crash.
Similar Incidents
In 2018, the city settled for $10 million with the family of a 3-year-old girl who required multiple surgeries after being hit by a police cruiser near 67th Avenue and Camelback Road in August of 2016. The child had just gotten a popsicle from an ice cream truck when the incident occurred.
In April of last year, Phoenix police struck another child while responding to a different crash scene. That child also survived.
The Phoenix City Council is scheduled to vote on the $5.25 million settlement in Wednesday’s formal city council meeting.
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