Cortland woman sues Warren police, others over 2013 crash during chase

Staff report

WARREN

A Cortland woman has filed a lawsuit in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court against a Warren man, a Warren police officer, the police department, the city and others over a Jan. 18, 2013, traffic crash that occurred while the officer was chasing a suspect.

Cassy M. Redmond of Niles-Cortland Road filed the suit, naming as defendants Chance D. Wells of Roosevelt Street Northwest and then-Sgt. Gregory Hoso of the Warren Police Department.

The suit says Redmond entered the intersection of Laird and Woodland avenues in a lawful manner while the light was green and was struck broadside by a 2009 Saturn driven by Wells and owned by Charles Farmer and Gwendolyn Levatte of South Feederle Avenue, who also are named as defendants.

The car was being chased by Hoso, who the lawsuit says was negligent for “engaging in the said high-speed chase” in a residential neighborhood.

As a result of the crash, Redmond sustained personal injuries and bodily harm and incurred medical expenses.

The suit also says Farmer and Levatte were negligent for entrusting their vehicle to Wells, “a known negligent and unlicensed driver.”

According to Warren Municipal Court records, Wells was charged with driving under suspension, but that charge later was dismissed.

Wells also was convicted of a felony charge of failure to comply with the orders of a police officer in the chase and was placed on five years’ probation.

The lawsuit seeks at least $25,000 in damages against Wells, Farmer, Levatte, Hoso and the city.

A Warren police report of the incident says Hoso was driving behind the Wells vehicle on Washington Street Northeast when it started weaving in and out of traffic.

Hoso activated his overhead lights and siren, but Wells failed to stop and nearly hit a vehicle at the Woodland Avenue/Elm Road intersection. The vehicle then went through a red light and crashed into Redmond’s vehicle at Woodland and Laird, the report said. Wells remained in the vehicle and was arrested.

No phone number for Farmer or Levatte could be found.