No Sirens From Deputy Involved in Deadly Rutherford County Crash

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WKRN) – A second lawsuit has been filed in connection to a high-speed pursuit that began in Coffee County and ended 31 miles later in Rutherford County.

The pursuit started when Garieon Simmons allegedly stole an SUV from a Manchester funeral home in Coffee County on June 24.

He led law enforcement on the two-county chase before he hit two vehicles on South Church Street in Murfreesboro.

Jessica Campos, 28, was killed when she was hit while pulling out of a parking lot. Her family has since filed a $10 million lawsuit.

Another woman, identified as Katrina Sadler, was also injured in the crash and she is now suing Rutherford and Coffee counties and the funeral home where Simmons allegedly stole the SUV.

The latest lawsuit claims law enforcement and the funeral home owner acted negligently and that’s what led to the crash.

In particular, Sadler’s attorney says the Sheriff’s deputy pursuing the suspect didn’t have his siren on.

“Jessica Campos didn’t have a warning that there was a police chase going on because there was no siren,” said attorney David Smith.

Smith also points to dash-cam video that shows Simmons exit I-24 and weave in and out of traffic on South Church Street.

The video is from Sgt. Trey Nunley’s vehicle. Nunley is with the Rutherford Sheriff’s Office.

On the video, boxes for “lights” and “ignition” are highlighted, which Smith says means they’re on. The box for “siren” is empty.

Smith says that shows Sgt. Nunley didn’t have his siren on while he pursued Simmons at more than 90 miles per hour.

“You’re supposed to stop when you hear a siren and pull over to the side of the road,” says Sadler’s attorney David Smith. “If there’s no siren being used, that’s a big issue.”

Smith contends that Campos, having heard the siren, never would’ve pulled out in front of Simmons who she didn’t see racing toward her.

The lawsuit also states funeral home owner and Manchester Alderman Timothy Kilgore initiated the chase.

It says, he turned on red, white and blue lights in his private vehicle and followed Simmons.

Kilgore is also alleged to have communicated with authorities using a police radio and said there was a body in the back of the SUV but a body was never found.

The lawsuit says Kilgore should not have had lights on his vehicle, that he interfered with police work and that Simmons wouldn’t have fled if Kilgore wasn’t pursuing him.

Attorney David Smith has filed a $2 million lawsuit on behalf of Katrina Sadler and a $10 million lawsuit on behalf of Jessica Campos’s family.

He also filed a subpoena for all 9-1-1 calls related to the police pursuit and radio traffic between police vehicles.

Source: wkrn.com wkrn.com

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