The neighborhood believes the city should pay for the damage caused by the JPD cruiser

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – The entrance to a north Jackson subdivision has been damaged following a crash involving a city vehicle.

Now homeowners are upset about being left in the bag for repairs.

A pile of rocks at the intersection of Old Canton Road and Woodcrest Drive reminds residents of the Meadow Oaks neighborhood that the city takes no responsibility for damage caused by its employees.

“A police car actually lost control and came through this intersection, basically taking down our brick columns,” said resident Luke McClinton.

A Jackson police officer was taken to the hospital after that January crash. The top of the column was knocked into another garden about 50 yards away.

For nine months, residents have been asking the city to make repairs. McClinton went to two council meetings with complaints and was referred to Constituent Services.

“We would think that the city would come forward knowing that they had damaged this property and just fix it,” McClinton said. “If a resident had lost control of his vehicle and damaged City Hall, what type of situation or problem would he find himself in?”

Jackson’s Risk Management Division sent a letter saying the city is not liable after an investigation. It also said the city is a self-insured government entity and the cause of the damage does not support a legal finding that the city is liable. The claim for damages was rejected.

“If you drive a vehicle on the road, I thought it had to be insured under Mississippi law,” the 10-plus-year homeowner added. “There is no support here for something for which they are 100 percent responsible.”

Homeowners determine the next course of action to get the entrance repaired.

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