EXCLUSIVE: Family Blames Philadelphia Police Officer After Woman Has Leg Amputated Following Crash
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A family is demanding answers after a crash involving a Philadelphia police cruiser and another vehicle left a woman in critical condition earlier this month.
Brenda Speaks, 58, of Nicetown-Tioga recently had her lower-leg amputated after her family said she sustained major damage to it from the crash that happened back on Oct. 1.
Security video provided to Eyewitness News by Speaks' attorney shows the moments a woman is about to cross the intersection on W. Hunting Park Avenue near Schuyler Street, right in front of the 39th District Police headquarters, when her life changed forever.
In the video, a Philadelphia police cruiser, with its lights on, appears to go through a red light from Schuyler Street before the cruiser stops in the intersection.
Moments later, another car, going through the right of way on Hunting Park Ave., slams into the police car.
Speaks was by the corner of the intersection, trying to cross the street at the time when her family said one of the vehicles hit her.
"She's undergone several surgeries and they actually had to amputate it," said Bonnie Speaks, the victim's niece.
The victim's three nieces sat down with Eyewitness News on Friday. They said their aunt is still in the ICU recovering from a lower leg amputation. Her nieces blame the officer in the cruiser.
"From what I can see, it was just carelessness. Something most definitely that could have been prevented on his part," Kenyante Speaks said.
At the time of the crash, officials said the officer in the cruiser was leaving 39th Police District headquarters, responding to a call.
Philadelphia police wouldn't answer any questions Friday about what that call pertained to, saying the investigation is still ongoing.
But officers did provide Eyewitness News a policy that reads in part: "Philadelphia police personnel, when responding in emergency driving mode shall come to a complete stop to ensure an intersection is clear prior to entering an intersection."
"The department has directives for a reason, they have rules for a reason. And they state even if the sirens and lights are on and you're responding to an emergency, you cannot blow a red light or a stop sign. And he did not do that here," Jordan Strokovsky, Brenda Speaks' attorney, said.
"The way he came into the intersection, if he would have slowed down three more seconds, this all would have been prevented," Olympia Speaks said. She added the family wants the police to apologize and explain what the officer was doing in the moments before the crash.
The attorney also says a lawsuit was filed that seeks monetary damages as well as assurance from police their own policies will be followed.
