Woman's Family Sues City for $25M
Reported by Cheryl Chodun - WXYZ News Detroit
The family of a woman who police say was hit and killed by a water
department truck driven by an intoxicated city worker is suing the city
of Detroit for $25 million.
Attorney Fieger filed a $25 million lawsuit against the city of Detroit for the family of 37-year-old Karen Sykes after filing a similar lawsuit three weeks ago on behalf of the family of a young man. He is calling on Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to settle the suits quickly.
"The new mayor and the city law department need to show the same leadership and skills and compassion for the effective family members by quickly resolving these lawsuits to the parties' mutual satisfaction. I hope the Mayor Kilpatrick does that and by doing so he'll protect the suffering families from the added years of protracted litigation," Fieger said.
Both people were hit by water department vans driven by intoxicated water department employees. Cortez Jones was allegedly driving the van that hit and killed Karen Sykes who was laid to rest this weekend.
Fieger says something needs to be done quickly for the families.
"It need not go any further. I'm publicly calling for Mayor Kilpatrick to give me a call," Fieger said.
Fieger says he does not want the matter to go to court. The case against Cortez Jones, the man allegedly driving the van that killed Karen Sykes, is supposed to be in the hands of the prosecutor Monday afternoon.
City Van Accident Kill Woman, Family Contacts Fieger
The accident happened at Gratiot and Willford on Friday night, and Tuesday Detroit Police were trying to put the case together.
They do know that 37-year-old Karen Sykes was killed and that she was hit by the Water Department van while crossing the street, and they say according to a breathalyzer test, the man who was driving the van was very drunk.
Police believe it was 45-year-old Cortez Jones who was driving the van. Cortez Jones, who is also as Cartez Jones on some documents, has a previous drunk driving charge in Hazel Park in 1994. In February of 2000 he was stopped for speeding in Redford Township, and his license was suspended in May 2000 and reinstated in September of the same year.
Monday, Jones was fired by Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick after the mayor heard about what happened. Now Jones could face other charges.
He is facing possible charges in the death of Sykes, charges that could send him to prison for 15 years or more.
The Detroit Fatal Squad is putting the case together and it should be in the prosecutor's office within a week or so. Along with the charges of driving under the influence causing death, other charges include second degree murder, which is a life sentence.
An investigation and charges from the prosecutor's office are still pending on Police Commander Frank Ward who was allegedly in another car that night with one of the five Water Department workers caught drinking. Ward is suspended with pay.
Victim's Family Preparing for Law Suit
Today the relatives of Karen Sykes in her hometown of Chicago and attorney Geoffrey Fieger confirm they are about to sit down and discuss filing a civil lawsuit.
Fieger will soon be meeting with her loved ones.
"They're all very upset, distraught. Karen was very close with her family and friends from all over the country who have called me actually. I got a call from Delaware, a call from Chicago, here in Detroit, and her friends are all shocked and incredibly saddened," Fieger told Channel 7 Tuesday.
Lawsuits like the Karen Sykes' family is likely to file have already cost the city millions and millions of dollars. Fieger was asked if he is at all concerned that the damage another huge settlement to go to city finances.
"These cases are going to take millions and millions of dollars, and I'm not concerned one bit," Fieger responded.
"First of all, the city buys insurance and that's what insurance is for. Second of all, it would be much, much cheaper for the city to get its act together and run the departments correctly and have responsible people and not let them drink on the job, not let them drive vehicles drunk on city time. And so if they really get their act together, the end result will be savings for the city tragedy."
He's representing another victim struck by yet another city Water Department vehicle driven by another employee who was also allegedly drinking.
Another Water Department Accident Victim
As the body of 37-year-old Karen Sykes is returned to love ones in Chicago, 18-year-old Jared Hawthorne lies brain damaged in a Detroit hospital. Within two weeks time, both were struck by separate Water Department vehicles which were driven by separate city workers who are allegedly drinking.
"Jared was run over by a Detroit water department vehicle two, three weeks ago, suffered severe head injuries, and is still in the hospital and will never fully recover. Karen Sykes was also struck and killed by a drinking water department employee," Fieger said.
"Mayor Kilpatrick needed to do something before a second person was killed. It's a step in the right direction for Mayor Kilpatrick, but it's a little too late," continued Fieger.
"He could have done this and he should have done this three weeks ago when Jared was run over by a drinking water department employee. And then this would have never happened and this tragedy would have never happened."
And although Geoffrey Fieger says that that first lawsuit was filed
a couple of weeks ago, Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, according to his spokesman,
first became fully aware that an investigation Monday and needily went
over and fired the workers on the spot, including both men who were involved
in the two separate incidents.