$9.75M Settlement to Family of Infant Killed in Police Car Crash

By Dean I. Weitzman, Esq. on August 11th, 2017

The family of a 9-month-old baby boy who was killed in his parent’s car when it was struck from behind by an SUV being driven by an on-duty police officer in 2013 has reached a $9.75 million settlement with the City of Sacramento, Calif.

The child, Raiden Saechao, died five days after the Dec. 17, 2013 crash, which occurred on westbound Interstate 80, according to a July 18 story by The Sacramento Bee. The Sacramento police officer, Greg Mark Halstead, was driving his city-issued 2013 Ford Explorer SUV on I-80 when he crashed into the back of a Scion being driven by the baby’s father, Steve Saechao. The Scion was stopped in stop and go traffic when the Explorer crashed into it at some 60 mph.

The baby was in his rear-facing car seat in the back seat of the Scion when the vehicle was struck by the Explorer in the slow lane on the highway. The officer’s SUV did not slow down before it struck the Scion, pushing the car into a passing tractor-trailer, the story reported. Children were also riding as passengers in the Explorer being driven by the officer.

After the crash, the infant, Raiden Saechao, was taken to the University of California-Davis Medical Center for treatment of major head injuries, but he died on Dec. 22, 2013. The baby was born to his parents after they had suffered several previous miscarriages.

The baby’s father and mother, Chrystal Saechao, filed their lawsuit against the City of Sacramento after the Placer County district attorney chose not to file charges against Halstead, who continues to work for the Sacramento Police Department as a sergeant in the operations unit.

These kinds of tragic legal cases occur every day when innocent victims are severely hurt or killed in vehicle crashes through no fault of their own due to the actions, inattentiveness or indifference of others. That’s why it is critical to have a legal team on your side that uncovers every fact to bolster your case and maximize your damage award.

We here at MyPhillyLawyer stand ready to assist you with your legal case if you or a loved one is ever seriously injured in a vehicle accident or incident anywhere in the United States.

We represent the families of victims who die in such tragedies as well, to ensure that their families receive every penny of damages that they are eligible to receive.

Call MyPhillyLawyer at 215-227-2727 or toll-free at 1-(866) 352-4572 anytime and our experienced, compassionate, aggressive team of attorneys and support staff will be there for you and your family every step of the way as we manage your case through the legal system.

When Winning Matters Most, Call MyPhillyLawyer.