“Warren police failed.” Woman injured in crash after chase, files lawsuit

WARREN, Mich. (WXYZ) — Some would say life for mother of four, Brittny Turner, was perfect. She got married on August 5, 2022, on her birthday in Hawaii.

“I was traveling, living my life, enjoying myself with my family and with my children,” she said.

But in a flash her life changed. On June 8, 2024, at 8 Mile and Mound roads around 9 a.m., she was in a terrible accident.

“My light turned green, I continued down the route and I remember getting hit from the backside. And I remember saying, ‘God, you can’t take me like that. I have kids,'” Turner said.

Turner’s SUV was on fire when Warren police arrested the suspect after a high-speed chase.

Details I gathered through the Freedom of Information Act, including dashboard camera footage, show the pursuit that went on miles started in Warren at Runey Drive and Marlow Drive.

Check out the dashcam and bodycam footage in the video below

Warren police dashcam and bodycam footage of crash

Officers conducted a traffic stop because the suspect’s car had no license plate. Video shows police chasing the Dodge Charger through several neighborhoods as several other units join in with flashing lights and sirens. The chase ended when the fleeing suspect crashed into Turner’s BMW along with three other vehicles.

It’s a site that still gives Turner chills.

“Broken pelvis in three places. It’s difficult for me to sit for long periods of time. That’s why I’m shaking so much. I have nerve problems, I have a broken jaw, memory loss, three broken toes. I can’t wash or wipe myself, right arm or hand needs Warren PD for this pay,” she said.

Through her attorney, Turner has now filed a $60 million civil lawsuit against the city and the police officers involved in the pursuit, seeking emotional and physical damages.

‘I feel like the system has failed. Warren PD has failed and they are here to protect and serve,” she said.

The most recent crash involving Warren police was not a pursuit, but was fatal. It was in the early morning hours of September 30 when a Warren scout vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed crashed, killing 34-year-old Cedric Hayden and 33-year-old DeJuan Pettis.

Related video: $100 million lawsuit filed against Warren and police officers in crash that killed two men

A $100 million lawsuit has been filed against Warren and police officers in a crash that left two men dead

Their families have also filed $100 lawsuits against the city and its police department. Pettis’ family filed a report on Wednesday and Hayden’s family filed a report on October 4. According to a complaint, a Warren police vehicle collided with the SUV the two men were traveling in at a speed of more than 100 miles per hour.

“It seems like a weekly occurrence where they just fly by, with the sirens blaring most of the time, and it’s only a matter of time before something happens. And unfortunately something did happen,” said a witness, who spoke anonymously wanted to stay. .

The witness, who did not want to be identified, works for a business at Prospect Avenue and Schoenherr Road and saw the aftermath of the Sept. 30 crash.

“I am fully aware that they have to do their work in a timely manner and that some situations are extremely critical, but I would like to see something that at least limits the speed at which they travel,” he said.

Previous coverage: Vigil held in Warren for two best friends who died in a crash that also injured two officers

A vigil was held in Warren for friends who died in a crash that also injured officers

Meanwhile, the son of Detroit activist Oliver Gantt was also injured last year when a suspect fleeing Warren police rammed his son’s car.

“The chases are excessive; they’re not justified. There’s negligence especially when you’re flying down the street in your police car and someone gets into an accident and you don’t have a siren on. Detroit has streamlined their policy by saying we don’t do chases do “We don’t cause accidents here, we don’t kill people. Warren is a different story,” Grantt said.

I also asked several times to interview the Warren Police Department, but they declined for weeks due to ongoing litigation. On Wednesday, the department finally held a press conference. Lt. John Gajewski said the department would not comment on the incident involving Pettis and Hayden.

Listen to the Warren Police Department’s response to the lawsuit in the video below

Warren police are responding to a lawsuit filed over a woman injured in a crash

Gajewski says they never received a complaint from Turner.

“The public must see how this lawsuit contains inflammatory buzzwords designed solely to gain media attention and damage the reputations of the hardworking men and women in this police department,” Gajewski said.

Gajewski says that, contrary to the lawsuit, police lights and sirens were activated during the chase and that the lawsuit has no merit since Turner’s vehicle was never struck by a police unit. But as the dashcam footage shows, the lead police unit was about 19 seconds away. That’s why Turner says she never heard the sirens or saw the lights.

I asked Gajewski how he would respond to comments that the crash would never happen if the chase never happened.

“That is a very valid point. I watched this video and I see our officers doing what our residents expect of us,” he responded.

I also asked him at what point a chase would end, since the one with Turner went through residential areas.

“Again, a pursuit on a residential side street does not automatically constitute a disqualification,” Gajewski said.

I was able to obtain a copy of the Warren Police Department’s Pursuit Policy. However, the Prohibited Practices section has been redacted.

‘This is ridiculous. Too many families are suffering,” Turner said.

I have also reached out to Warren Mayor Lori Stone for an interview, and her team says that since this is an issue related to police policies and procedures, the police department will be best qualified to answer my questions. Additionally, new Warren Police Chief Eric Hawkins will take charge in December.

I asked Turner, “If you had the opportunity to ask the new commissioner a question, what would you ask him?”

“How are you going to change? What are you going to change? What if this was your daughter or your grandchild, how would you feel?”