US2 min(s) read
Published 12:54 11 Jun 2021 GMT
An Arkansas police officer has been hit with a lawsuit after a pregnant woman alleged that he flipped her car because she didn't pull over fast enough.
Nicole Harper had been driving at 84mph in a 70mph zone, according to Officer Rodney Dunn, who wanted her to pull over immediately.
The lawsuit alleges that the incident - which took place in July 2020 - saw the officer "negligently perform" a Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT) maneuver that led to Harper's car flipping over on the highway, the Independent reports.
Dashcam footage of the incident in Jackson, Arkansas, has been released and shows how Officer Dunn hit Harper's back left bumper, which sent her car crashing into a concrete barrier and ultimately overturning.
"I thought it would be safer to wait until the exit," Harper is heard telling the cop after the car had been overturned.
"No ma'am, you should pull over when law enforcement stops you," Dunn responded as helped the pregnant lady out of the vehicle. "We call that a PIT maneuver. When people flee from us… that's what happens."
"I wasn't fleeing," Harper replied.
As per the lawsuit, Harper had clearly indicated that she was trying to pull over safely before the car was flipped over.
Harper later told FOX16: "In my head, I was going to lose the baby. What if I had kids in the car? He wouldn’t have known. Did that matter? What was going through his head? What made him think this was okay?"
State Police Director Colonel Bill Bryant said in a statement:
"There’s a fundamental state law none of us should ever forget. All drivers are required under Arkansas law to safely pull-off the roadway and stop when a police officer activates the patrol vehicle emergency lights and siren. The language of the law is crystal clear.
"Should a driver make the decision to ignore the law and flee from police, state troopers are trained to consider their options.
"Based on the totality of circumstances a state trooper could deploy spike strips to deflate the tires of the vehicle being pursued, execute a boxing technique to contain the pursuit slowing the driver to a stop, execute a PIT maneuver or terminate the pursuit.
"Most Arkansas State Police pursuits end without a PIT maneuver being utilised."
Per Fox News, Harper's lawyers said she wants the Police Department to review its policies around the PIT maneuver and "re-evaluate the use of them."
