Widow Asks for $11 Million in Police-Collision Death

The widow of a man killed in a collision with a police car has filed an $11-million claim against the City of Newport Beach, alleging that the police car was being driven “at an excessive speed and with reckless disregard for public safety” when it hit her husband’s car.

The claim was filed Monday by Vickie Finney on behalf of herself and her three sons. Jake S. Finney, 39, was fatally injured when the car in which he was a passenger was struck by a police car being driven by Officer Joseph Thrasher. Finney was pronounced dead at Western Medical Center in Santa Ana about an hour after the crash, which occurred about 12:25 a.m. last Thursday on Balboa Boulevard.

City Atty. Robert H. Burnham said the City Council would probably consider the claim at its meeting Monday.

Theodore S. Wentworth, an attorney representing the Finney family, said Tuesday he will employ a former California Highway Patrol officer to determine the speed of the police car and other information.

Inspection of Cars

Wentworth said he would have the ex-highway patrolman, who retired after being injured in an accident, inspect both cars Thursday and report on several factors. The attorney declined to say what information, other than speed, he hoped to obtain from the inspection.

The driver of the car in which Finney was riding, Kent G. Hindes, 32, suffered head injuries and was reported in serious but stable condition Tuesday at Fountain Valley Regional Hospital. Hospital officials said Hindes was taken off a respirator machine Sunday and was showing signs of improvement.

According to police, Hindes turned the 1986 Buick, which was owned by Finney, into the path of the oncoming police car. No determination of Thrasher’s speed or other circumstances before the crash have been released by police.

Thrasher, who also suffered head injuries and was initially admitted to the same hospital in serious condition, had improved enough to be discharged Sunday. However, police spokesman Kent Stoddard said Thrasher is still on medical leave. Stoddard added that the officer hasn’t been suspended and will likely return to light duty when his doctors approve.

CHP Handling Investigation

The official investigation is being headed by a specialized accident investigation team of the California Highway Patrol. CHP Sgt. Gary Stevens said Tuesday that, “realistically, it will take about three to four weeks to complete the investigation.” Stevens added that any results would have to be obtained from the Newport Beach Police Department.

Stevens declined to say whether investigators believe that Thrasher may have been either chasing or clocking a speeding car at the time of the accident. He said only that CHP officers routinely attempt to “do a profile on both drivers that would go back as far as 24 hours prior to the accident.”

Newport Beach traffic investigator William McInnis said Tuesday that “there is no other car involved as far as I know.” However, he added that he hadn’t seen or talked to any of the witnesses and would not do so as part of the Police Department’s intention to allow the CHP to conduct as independent an investigation as possible.

McInnis said it doesn’t appear that Thrasher was driving with his flashing red lights and siren on at the time of the accident.