An Arkansas State Trooper is currently facing legal action after he caused a car accident involving a pregnant woman during a routine traffic stop.
The incident in question took place on July 9 on Highway 67. According to the lawsuit, Arkansas State Trooper Rodney Dunn attempted to pull Janice Nicole Harper over because she was driving at a speed of 84 miles per hour in a 70 mile per hour zone. Following the officer's orders, the lawsuit explains that Dunn slowed down to a speed of 60 miles per hour, turned on her blinkers and moved over to the right lane. Due to concrete barriers and limited shoulder area on both sides of the road, Harper says that she could not pull over safely in the area that she was at. Instead of waiting until Harper was in a safer area, Dunn implemented a PIT maneuver in hopes to stop Harper.
"The shoulder did not have enough room for my car alone, but my thoughts were also he, the officer, didn't need to be standing beside my car there. Like there literally was not enough room," Harper told CNN's Chris Cuomo.
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Dunn did end up stopping Harper's vehicle, but he made matters worse. Harper says her car flipped over with her inside. Making matters worse, she was two months pregnant at the time of the accident.
"If you watch a little bit more of the video ... it was a little bit before where he hit me, you'll notice a sign that says the exit is one mile away. Just after he hit me, the road kind of turns and it opens up. And the shoulder does get bigger. There is more space. And it would have been so much safer," she added.
Fortunately, Harper did survive the accident and she has decided to file a lawsuit against Dunn. The suit claims that Dunn negligently and dangerously used a PIT maneuver that led to the accident. Also, the lawsuit claims that Arkansas State Police failed to train Harper how to properly handle the situation.
Dunn nor the Arkansas State Police have not yet issued a public statement regarding the lawsuit.
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