Columbus police officer ran red light, caused woman’s injuries in car crash, lawsuit claims

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A woman who was injured in an East Side crash involving a Columbus police cruiser is suing the officer who allegedly struck her. The incident occurred on May 16, 2024, just before 3 p.m. when a police cruiser and a 2017 Kia Sorento were involved in an accident at the intersection of East Fifth and Joyce avenues in the Devon Triangle area, northeast of Downtown. At the time of the crash, it was reported that the Kia was traveling east on East Fifth, attempting to turn left onto Joyce when the cruiser heading west struck the Kia. Each person was taken to hospitals, with the driver of the Kia in critical condition. Two years later, the civil lawsuit was filed in Franklin County by the woman, Bridgett McKinnon, who said the officer caused the crash by running a red light. The lawsuit said Officer Kurt Jacobs proceeded through the intersection against traffic signals and without emergency lights activated while McKinnon was attempting to turn with a corresponding turn signal. The lawsuit also noted at least one other vehicle traveling in the same direction as the cruiser was stopped at the intersection. Court documents said that Jacobs said at the scene of the crash that he was attempting to proceed through a yellow signal; however, attorneys for McKinnon allege Jacobs was distracted by listening to a podcast while running a red light and that police dashcam footage will support their claims. During a Wednesday press conference attorneys Sean Walton and Robert Gresham offered details of the incident and showed the video from the police cruiser. The video showed a vehicle in the left lane stopped while Jacobs continues westbound through the intersection in the right lane before ramming into McKinnon’s Kia as it was attempting to turn onto Joyce Avenue. Google maps indicates that traffic signals at the intersection does include a left-turn signal for vehicles traveling east. The lawsuit contends that Jacobs was traveling 48-49 MPH in a 40 MPH zone and that, “absent emergency lights and siren, civilian motorists, including Ms. McKinnon, were entitled to rely on ordinary traffic-control compliance and had no reasonable warning that a police cruiser would enter the intersection against the signal at an unsafe speed.” After the crash, McKinnon was found unconscious and reportedly suffered a traumatic brain injury with permanent neurological impairment. The lawsuit said that she “required extended hospitalization and critical care including intubation, ICU care and neurological evaluation followed by extended post-acute institutional care.” Bridgett's husband, Nakia Cartharn, said Wednesday that Bridgett's injury has had life-altering ramifications and that life at home is not the same since the crash. "She's not able to walk, limited use of her arms, her speech is… she’s not the same person," he said. "She walked out house as Bridgett and we have to carry back into the house as her caretakers now. – We need to get her home." The lawsuit alleges Jacobs has a history of violations while employed with the division of police and that his supervisors were aware of this history. Additionally, attorneys noted that Jacobs filed a report, blaming McKinnon for an improper turn, though ultimately he was reportedly reprimanded by the Columbus Division of Police for a traffic violation. “But not for this video that we have, Officer Jacobs would have you believe that he was wronged here, that Bridgett did something wrong and Bridgett cannot speak for herself she cannot remember what happened, she cannot tell her story,” attorney Sean Walton said. Asked if counsel has spoken to police or city leaders, attorney Robert Gresham replied, “We’ve had a chance to engage with the city, you can read between the lines, we are hear filing this lawsuit today as a result of that conversation. Every step of this process is focused on forcing this city, this department, this officer to take accountability and we’re not going to rest until they do that.” McKinnon is accusing Jacobs of negligence and reckless misconduct. Additionally, the lawsuit accuses the City of Columbus of liability claims, among other damage claims. Following an NBC4 request, the Columbus Mayor's Office and Columbus police declined to comment due to pending litigation, while the Fraternal Order of Police said that Jacobs received discipline by Chief Bryant and that the FOP did not represent Jacobs in this incident.