City Agrees to Pay $625,000 in Car-Chase Death

The city of Los Angeles agreed Friday to pay $625,000 to settle a lawsuit stemming from a controversial 1985 police pursuit that resulted in a woman’s death.

The suit was filed by Carmen Cadena, who maintained that a police officer’s negligence during the high-speed chase east of downtown caused a fleeing motorist to collide with her vehicle and take her daughter’s life.

A Superior Court jury had awarded $638,175 to Cadena last March in the third trial in the case, which had yielded two previous mistrials. The city had appealed that verdict, but it changed course Friday when the City Council voted to settle.

A state law passed several years ago gave local governments immunity if suspects--not police officers--injured innocent bystanders during high-speed chases. But this chase occurred before the law went into effect.

Cadena was a passenger and her daughter, Luz Bernal, 27, was driving on the evening of Jan. 10, 1985.

Officer Delbert Baker tried to pull over Michael Knoble for a traffic infraction, but Knoble refused to stop. The officer began chasing the suspect. The pursuit ended when Knoble’s car struck Cadena’s four blocks later at Third Street and Kenmore Avenue.

Attorney John Gerard, who represented Cadena, said he hopes the large settlement will affect Police Department policy. “I would hope there would be a greater sensitivity to the dangers of conducting these chases--particularly on surface streets,” he said.