Lie, lie and deny. That was the defense employed by a member of the New York City Police Department after a deadly crash in July 2013. Now, a shocking video depicts the vicious collision and proves without a shadow of doubt that the cop was lying about what happened and that she is 100% responsible for this innocent man’s death.
Felix Coss, 61, was hit and killed on July 6, 2013 by an NYPD Van making a left turn as he crossed the street. The cop deflected blame and suggested Coss was at fault for being outside the crosswalk and not paying attention. A lawsuit was later filed by Coss’ family and, thus far, the suit has been vigorously defended by City attorneys. The police officer, Paula Medrano, maintained that Coss was to blame and, understandably, the City did their job and protected their client.
That is all about to change.
What Officer Medrano failed to anticipate was that there was a video camera in place that captured the entire accident. This story isn’t going to end well for her. The New York Daily News released the video footage along with an article about the case. The graphic video clearly shows Coss walking with the right-of-way and clearly within the crosswalk when he is violently struck by the left turning police van. The van was waiting at a light and abruptly proceeded when the light changed. The driver sped into her turn and entered the intersection at an unsafe speed without accounting at all for any pedestrians. The van failed to take any evasive action before violently striking Coss. The victim, a school teacher, was defenseless and completely unable to avoid being hit. He was propelled into the air and then seen crashing onto the pavement. Mr. Coss was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment for his life-threatening injuries.
Apparently, at the scene, the officer boldly blamed the victim for the accident while doctors were trying to save his life. Tragically, Mr. Coss was pronounced dead later that day. He would never be able to provide his version of the accident. It was the police officers word alone that would dictate the outcome of this case . . . Or so she thought.
The video serves as an affirmation that Mr. Coss was free from blame and clearly establishes that the cop was lying about the accident. Still, seeing the video two years later, serves as little consolation for the loved one’s of Mr. Coss. Our thoughts remain with them.
This story presents many different discussion points. Perhaps most pointedly, this illustrates how easy it is for someone to lie about the circumstances of an accident. It also shows that people of all walks of life are capable of lying when it serves their interests, including sworn police officers. It will be very intriguing to see what happens to this police officer.
- Will she hold onto her job?
- Will she be prosecuted for her inaccurate portrayal of this accident?
- How can she ever testify in the suit now that the video has surfaced?
This is the type of incident that demonstrates why the police departments’ relationship is fractured with many different neighborhoods. It is a challenge that the police Commissioner, William Bratton, faces on an everyday basis. Police Officer Medrano certainly didn’t make his job any easier.
We will be watching as the details of this interesting case unfold.
Block O’Toole & Murphy is a law firm that has fought for victims of serious crashes spanning more than two decades. The team of lawyers at this firm have recovered almost $1 billion in verdicts and settlements for their clients. They have fought for victims like the one described in this story their entire careers. If you are interested in learning more about this firm or how they can help you and your family, don’t hesitate to contact them at 212-736-5300.
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/brooklyn/video-nypd-van-fatally-hitting-man-contradicts-city-claim-article-1.2575945
http://www.nydailynews.com/nypd-van-strikes-injures-man-brooklyn-article-1.1391932