Mother of teen killed in police chase sues Georgia DPS

Mother demands accountability for teen's death

The mother of a teen killed in a high-speed pursuit is suing Georgia officials to change police chase policies as state lawmakers approve a controversial bill to overhaul metro Atlanta elections.

ATLANTA - The mother of a metro Atlanta teenager killed during a police chase is now taking her fight to court, hoping to change pursuit policies in Georgia.

What we know:

Nearly a year after Cooper Schoenke died in Atlanta's Little Five Points neighborhood, his mother, Kate Schoenke, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Georgia Department of Public Safety and Faduma Mohamed, the woman accused of causing the crash.

"This is about accountability," Kate Schoenke said.

The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday, just weeks before the first anniversary of her son's death.

Investigators say Mohamed led state troopers on a high-speed chase that began on Interstate 20, reaching speeds of more than 100 miles per hour before exiting onto Moreland Avenue.

According to investigators, dash camera video shows Mohamed running a red light at Moreland and McLendon avenues and crashing into Cooper Schoenke's car, killing him.

The lawsuit alleges a state trooper acted with reckless disregard by continuing the pursuit off the interstate and into congested city streets and busy intersections.

While Schoenke said the driver behind the wheel, who was out on bond at the time,  is largely to blame, she believes state troopers should also be held accountable.

She is seeking $1 million in the lawsuit. 

Mohamed remains behind bars awaiting her day in court.

What we don't know:

It is currently unclear when the case will head to trial or if the Georgia Department of Public Safety will seek to have the lawsuit dismissed based on sovereign immunity. 

Mohamed remains in jail, but a specific date for her criminal trial has not been released.

What they're saying:

"What we want is a change, and if we've got to use the purse strings to do that, that's what we're doing," Kate Schoenke said.

Before filing the lawsuit, Schoenke said the state was given a chance to come to the table but declined, saying it was not responsible for her son's death.

"To say that they have no responsibility whatsoever and a high-speed chase through a highly populated, dense community of Atlanta that ended in tragedy just does not make sense," she said.

She said her goal is not the money, but to change how and when high-speed chases happen in Georgia.

"I'm not saying don't pursue, but to pursue it 100 miles an hour, 90 miles an hour, 80 miles an hour. No one's even going to hear the siren coming at you," she said.

The other side:

The Georgia Department of Public Safety said it does not comment on pending litigation.

Mohamed's attorney said he had no comment.

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