Independence settles in police-pursuit death

Independence and Medevac have settled with the parents of Chris Cooper, a Truman High student hit by a car that was fleeing police back in 2007. (The settlement is $275,000 with the lawyer taking home about $107K.) Cooper was riding his bike when he was hit by Wilfredo J. Pujols Jr., who was later sentenced to 15 years. Cheryl Cooper, Chris' mom, says she plans to lobby for safer police pursuits. Independence police say their chases are not done willy-nilly, that officers follow policies designed to protect the public.

Comments

[Obama is the man]

I empathize with the Parents. However, what was he doing riding his bicycle late at night and on a busy street? Also, the laws regarding fleeing Police should be strengthened! Besides, it was Puljos, not the Police, who did not respect life!

[JFC]

Idiot comment above....Christopher was following the rules of the road that night. He was crossing to the west from the east and the north and southbound traffic was at a red light. Pujols and the cops blew through the light at speeds exceeding 90 mph. The only time Chris was in the street was while he was trying to cross it. No one respected life that night, certainly not Pujols and certainly not the cops, who called Chris a 'roach that wouldn't die'. The only ones who cared what happened to Chris were the witnesses who saw what happened and kept trying to tell the cops and EMS that Chris was alive. You obviously don't know anything about that part of Noland Road; it's very well lit because of all the car dealerships there. Pujols, however, had no headlights on and at that speed Chris had no time to clear the road. Fuck off, you piece of shit.