The family of a woman killed during a Chicago police chase last November alleges the officers involved showed “a conscious disregard for the safety of others,” according to a lawsuit filed in Cook County court.
A stolen vehicle, being pursued by Chicago police, crashed into Karen Henry’s vehicle before colliding with a CTA bus on Nov. 20, 2024, in the Washington Park neighborhood.
Henry, 61, was transported to University of Chicago Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.
Her family filed a lawsuit last week against the city and unnamed officers. The lawsuit, filed in Cook County Circuit Court, alleges the officers did not request or receive permission to engage in the chase and “showed an utter indifference to or conscious disregard for the safety of others.”
Henry was a “vibrant and productive Chicagoan,” who worked at BlueCross and BlueShield in the Loop and had recently completed her MBA, according to the family’s attorneys. She cared for her mother and siblings and was “passionate about travel and adventures.”
“Every day I remain completely devastated by the death of my beautiful daughter, and how senseless it was,” Henry’s mother, Bethel Branford said in a statement. “This never, ever had to happen if the Chicago Police had used common sense to prioritize the safety of people in the community over a car chase. I pray now for accountability and that this type of tragedy never happens to another family again.”
The city and Police Department declined to comment, saying they do not comment on pending litigation.
On the evening of Nov. 20, 2024, officers noticed a stolen Jeep Grand Cherokee traveling north at a “high rate of speed” in the 6800 block of South State Street and followed it to the 6000 block of South State Street, where it ran a red light, according to Chicago police and a traffic crash report obtained by the Sun-Times.
The stolen SUV crashed into Henry’s sedan, which was “legally” crossing through the intersection on a green light, before crashing “head-on” into a CTA bus stopped at 60th Street, the report said.
Thirteen people were injured in the incident, according to police. Four people in the SUV attempted to run from the crash, but three were taken into custody and hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. Four guns were recovered from the vehicle. Henry’s attorneys are requesting a jury trial.
The city has paid millions to pedestrians, motorists and passengers killed or injured during police pursuits over the years.
In 2020, following a horrific crash on the city’s North Side, the department revised its pursuit policy, requiring all members to conduct a “balancing test,” weighing the risk of a chase against the risk of letting someone escape.
Henry’s attorneys argue that the risk of death or injury in this case exceeded any benefit of apprehending the suspects.