OKC Wrongful Death Case Transferred to Oklahoma Federal Court: Oklahoma City is now facing a wrongful death action after a fatal police chase. The case has been transferred to federal court.
Near the intersection of Martin Luther King Avenue and NE 16, a white Chevy Impala was struck in 2021, killing 28-year-old single mother Star Shells, who was carrying a kid she called Elijah.
Wacey Gerron Mikles, a 41-year-old fleeing suspect, was driving a stolen black Ford F350 King Ranch pickup truck when he collided with her vehicle. Mikles’s speeds reached 95 mph.
The owner was able to provide the authorities with up-to-the-minute location updates thanks to the truck’s GPS system.
Following the tragic crash with Shells, Mikles pled guilty in a negotiated deal to multiple charges, including two counts of second-degree murder, car theft, methamphetamine possession, and driving under a suspended or revoked license.
Twenty years in jail and ten years of probation were imposed upon him; the prison term would run concurrently with a federal sentence for bank robberies that he had committed before to the fatal crash.
Connie Basco, Shells’ mother, originally went to Oklahoma County District Court to sue for wrongful death. Oklahoma City has requested that the matter be transferred to a federal court.
Oklahoma City cannot comment on the litigation, according to a spokesman for the city.
Claims of carelessness and hazardous behavior leveled against OKC police
Elijah Reeves, the father of Shells’ unborn son, is one of the second plaintiffs who has joined Basco.
They claim that the police officers in Oklahoma City were careless, ignored Shells’ rights to equal protection under the law, and acted recklessly.
Basco claims in his lawsuit that the subsequent police pursuit was needless as officers from the Oklahoma City Police Department had access to, or would have access to, data from the stolen vehicle’s GPS tracking device.
Mikles and the police allegedly ran one stop sign and four red lights at significant intersections throughout the five-minute and twenty-two-second pursuit, according to the lawsuit.
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Revised car chase policies were established by the Oklahoma City Police Department a little over one year following Shells’ death.
According to oklahoman, One modification is that cops are now required to end a pursuit if they become aware of and have access to data from a vehicle’s GPS tracking system.
Along with legal expenses and charges, Basco is requesting a minimum of $75,000 in damages.
In addition to financial compensation for Shells’ funeral and hospital bills, she is suing for damages for her children’s emotional distress and mental suffering. In this post, we have explore “OKC Wrongful Death Case Transferred to Oklahoma Federal Court-Find Out Details”
Natalie Clydesdale is a journalist at oklahomansdecide.org, where she covers crucial local and state news with a focus on accuracy and depth. Her extensive experience in investigative reporting ensures readers receive clear and reliable information. Follow her latest updates on Instagram.
