A formal request was made to the St. Joseph County Circuit Court that a Grand Jury be convened for the purpose of reviewing a deadly crash involving a South Bend Police officer.
Over the last two weeks, the St. Joseph County Fatal Crash Team investigated the crash that occurred between an on-duty police officer and the victim, Erica Flores, around 4:30 a.m. on Friday, July 20, at Western Avenue and Kaley Street in South Bend.
Investigators are questioning whether a speeding police cruiser’s siren was sounding when it collided with a car in northern Indiana, killing a young single mother.
The South Bend Tribune reports that an attorney for Flores’ family who saw the footage says it shows South Bend officer Justin Gorny had his emergency lights on when colliding with Flores’ vehicle at an intersection. But the attorney says it’s unclear if Gorny turned on the cruiser’s siren.
During the Grand Jury proceedings, the Grand Jury will hear from witnesses and review the
evidence gathered including:
1. the standard operating procedures of the police department
2. audio logs of radio traffic
3. video of before the crash
4. video of the crash itself
5. data from the vehicles
6. other evidence the Grand Jury asks FACT to gather based upon their review of evidence presented to them.
The Grand Jury will thereafter be asked to determine whether probable cause exists to believe that the police officer’s actions were a substantial deviation from acceptable standards of conduct such that an indictment for reckless homicide should issue.
If the Grand Jury makes that finding, they will cause an indictment to be issued, which will begin the formal process of a criminal case.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
