Ghana National Council: City to pay $2 million to family of man killed in police chase

Chicago taxpayers will pay $2 million to the family of a 24-year-old man who was run over and killed by a squad car during a police chase under a settlement advanced Tuesday by a City Council committee.

Curtis Collins was playing dice on a street corner, but police officers thought they saw a drug transaction and chased him when he ran from scene.

"The cop said it looked like a drug deal," said Jim Montgomery, an attorney representing the family of Collins, a single father raising a 4-year-old daughter. "One hand met the other. That's why they chased him. But they didn't find drugs on the victim or on the path of the chase. This should never have happened."

Karen Seimetz, managing deputy corporation counsel of litigation, acknowledged no drugs were found. But she said, "The officers believed they saw a drug transaction occur."

The deadly police chase occurred on Oct. 12, 2001, at 8:45 p.m. at 8032 South May. When the officers stopped their marked squad car and approached the men, Collins and a friend took off. Officer James Hickey pursued them in his squad car to a muddy vacant lot at 8016 S. Racine, where he found it difficult to stop, Seimetz said. He hit Collins, who died instantly.

Hickey argued that the accident occurred when Collins "unexpectedly changed direction and ran in front of the squad car." He received a 30-day suspension for failing to maintain control of his vehicle.