James M. Cummings

Vehic/Purs

James M. Cummings was killed when an Ford F-150 fleeing police struck his Saturn. The 25-mile chase began in downtown St. Louis, when officer Robert Lang, who was in an unmarked police car, thought the truck fit the description of one connected to recent burglaries. Several other officers joined the pursuit as it continued onto I-70 and through residential north St. Louis. According to police, a supervisor called off the chase before it crossed into Illinois, though it was disputed whether officers obeyed. The Ford's driver, Sean Like, said police stayed close behind the entire time as he circled back to Missouri on I-270, exited at Riverview Drive and re-entered I-270. Like was driving west in the eastbound lanes when he hit Cummings' car at 3 a.m. Like, 23, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, leaving the scene of a fatal accident, tampering with a motor other and resisting arrest. The SLMPD paid $550,000 and the city paid $150,000 to settle a wrongful death suit--the highest settlement the department paid in 2010. No formal admission of wrongdoing--six officers were given a refresher course on pursuit policy; one sergeant was verbally reprimanded, and two lieutenants were suspended for one day. Three of the officers involved had since left the department (as of Feb. 2011), including one who testified that he had been involved in a number of chases that resulted in crashes.