The widow of a Black man who died after an early morning collision with a deputy sheriff who was allegedly dashing on a rural Georgia freeway is suing the county sheriff for negligence and wrongful dying.
Sprint cam video from Meriwether County Deputy Sheriff Norman Siefken’s patrol automobile exhibits it was nonetheless darkish at 6:09 a.m. on April 2, 2024, when he crossed over a bridge after which smashed into the car of Ronald Moreland, who was turning left at a busy intersection on state Freeway 85 in Senoia, Georgia.
Siefken was touring 67 miles per hour, 12 miles per hour over the posted pace restrict of 55 mph for the time being of influence, in line with the lawsuit filed in Meriwether County State Courtroom on June 10 (obtained by Atlanta Black Star). The criticism says he was not utilizing his emergency lights or responding to an emergency name.
Moreland, 61, who was on his option to work, sustained extreme bodily accidents from the crash and died three days later at Grady Hospital in Atlanta, Harry Daniels, the legal professional representing plaintiff Octovene Moreland, informed Atlanta Black Star. His reason behind dying was blunt drive trauma from a vehicular accident.
Daniels stated Siefken suffered minor accidents and was not cited by Fayette County Sheriffs who responded to the accident. Moreland was charged with failure to yield whereas turning left, which appears to match the dashcam video.
Meriwether Co. Sheriff Sprint Cam Video
Siefken “was dashing, and so they knew it,” Daniels stated. “However they didn’t cite him.”
The lawsuit claims that Siefken was exceeding the pace restrict by at the least 20 miles per hour within the moments earlier than the accident as he crossed over a slender bridge the place the posted pace restrict is 45 mph. It accuses the deputy of driving in reckless disregard of the protection of others and failing to drive at an inexpensive and prudent pace.
“That is about as clear a reduce case of police recklessness and neglect as I’ve ever seen,” Daniels stated in an announcement. “This deputy wasn’t responding to some emergency. He was dashing and driving recklessly, accelerating right into a busy intersection with none lights on and he killed an excellent man consequently. Legislation enforcement officers are presupposed to be making our streets safer, not deadlier.”
Siefken is just not named as a defendant within the lawsuit, which is filed in opposition to his boss, Meriwether Sheriff Chuck Smith. Siefken is protected by certified immunity for legislation enforcement officers performing of their official capability, stated Daniels, making Smith, his employer, the accountable celebration.
Smith is vicariously accountable for the negligent and reckless acts of Siefken, the lawsuit claims.
The lawsuit seeks a jury trial to find out compensatory and particular damages to recompense Octovene Moreland for the lack of her husband, together with ache and struggling, lack of consortium, funeral and burial bills, and future earnings.
Ronald Moreland was the only breadwinner within the household, Daniels stated, and he and Octovene Moreland had been performing as the first caretakers of their grandchildren.
“Now she’s caught with that burden of elevating the grandchildren on her personal, and has the pressure of the lack of her husband, and with the toll that’s taking over her, it is going to be fairly tough on her,” he stated. “No amount of cash can convey again her husband, however compensation is sort of deserved for the magnitude of his loss.”
Smith, who has served as Meriwether County Sheriff since 2013, didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark from Atlanta Black Star. He has 30 days to file a response to the criticism, or till mid-July.
