RSSYoung men's families sue over 2006 fatal car chase
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YAKIMA, Wash. — Relatives of two young men killed in a collision during a police chase have filed wrongful death lawsuits against the city of Yakima, the Yakima Police Department and the man whom police were chasing.
The families of Guillermo "Bobby" Aguilar and Edgar Trevino-Mendoza filed last week separate lawsuits in Yakima County Superior Court seeking damages in connection with the 2006 collision at Nob Hill Boulevard and 48th Avenue.
The lawsuits don't specify damages but in prior claims filed against the city, Mendoza's relatives sought $1.75 million while Aguilar's cited $4.5 million. Aguilar's mother is also representing a third victim in the crash, Juan Hernandez Ortega. He survived but was seriously injured.
The relatives are seeking a jury trial and compensation for court costs and attorneys' fees in addition to damages.
Celerina Mendoza, the mother of Edgar Mendoza, and Juan Mendoza, his uncle, allege that the city and police "knew or should have known" that officers were conducting high-speed pursuits "without due regard to the safety of citizens."
Ana Lucas Garcia, the mother of Aguilar, makes a similar argument in her lawsuit, saying the city failed to exercise reasonable care by engaging "in an activity that created a high likelihood of great harm to the person or property of others."
The Oct. 22, 2006, crash was the city's seventh high-speed pursuit in two weeks. Police chases had increased by 43 percent in a three-year period.
The city has said it will defend the actions of police, arguing they acted appropriately in the line of duty.
Blake Edward Young, the subject of the pursuit, escaped serious injury and is serving a prison term of 36 years on a conviction of second-degree murder.
In response to the accident, the Legislature passed a law co-sponsored by Rep. Charles Ross, R-Naches, that tacks on one year and a day of prison time if a driver is convicted of endangering the lives of others while fleeing police.
* Leah Beth Ward can be reached at 509-577-7626 or lward@yakimaherald.com.
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