Parents of boy fatally struck by sheriff's deputy vehicle file $25M lawsuit
BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — The parents of an 11-year-old boy who died after he was hit by a Calhoun County Sheriff's Deputy vehicle are suing the county and the deputy.
Norman Hood and Christina Valadez claim the sheriff's deputy was grossly negligent when he hit their son, Norman Hood Jr., with his car around 9:30 p.m. on May 28.
They claim the county is liable by extension and are seeking $25 million in damages.
Their attorneys Geoffrey Fieger and April Nason, of Fieger Law, filed a complaint, which claims the deputy failed to pay attention to the road while responding to a burglary report when he hit Hood.
The family said Hood was trying to cross Michigan Avenue with his minibike when he was hit.
The lawsuit claims the deputy didn't activate overhead lights or sirens, and was speeding.
At a news conference in early June, an emotional Valadez said she wanted justice for her son.
“I understand that he did not intentionally kill my son. I understand he was doing his job, probably trying to save a life. But I want him to take acknowledgement that he took my son’s life. There’s no denying that," Valadez said. "Let this have been anybody else. Let me have struck and killed an 11-year-old kid. I would be behind bars. You’d be behind bars. Everybody’d be behind bars.”
Michigan State Police have not released results of an investigation of the incident.
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Read more:
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