The lawsuit claims Jersey City police failed to safely handle the chase and assaulted him while he was on fire.
JERSEY CITY, N. J. (CBSNewYork/AP) — A severely burned bystander who allegedly was kicked and dragged by police after a high-speed car chase ended in a fiery crash is now suing the city where it occurred.
The lawsuit filed by Miguel Feliz-Rodriguez claims Jersey City police failed to safely handle the chase and assaulted him while he was on fire. The suit doesn’t specify the amount of damages it seeks, but legal papers filed late last year said Felix-Rodriguez would be seeking up to $25 million.
Authorities have said the officers chased a man whose car resembled one used in a shooting. That car crashed, setting off a fire that engulfed a vehicle driven by Feliz, a West New York resident who wasn’t involved in the chase.
The officers were responding that night to a car chase on Route 1 and 9 and Tonnelle Avenue. Thirty percent of Feliz’s body was burned in the crash.
Jersey City officials have declined to discuss the matter, saying the city doesn’t comment on ongoing litigation.
