Aresly Jaramillo was hit and killed by an officer responding to a call last Monday. An attorney for her family said Tuesday a wrongful death suit is forthcoming.
DALLAS, Texas — The family of 20-year-old Aresly Jaramillo plans to sue the Dallas Police Department for wrongful death after she was hit and killed by a squad car heading to a call last Monday, an attorney for the family told WFAA.
The announcement will officially be made on Wednesday morning at a press conference involving Jaramillo’s family around the site of the accident near 8700 Elam Rd.
According to Dallas PD, the officer was in a marked squad car responding to a call without their lights or sirens activated while traveling east on Elam.
A spokesperson for Dallas PD said Tuesday that the investigation into the accident remains ongoing. However, according to preliminary information, Jaramillo was standing at the median near the intersection of Elam Road and Cedarcliff Drive when she attempted to cross the street.
Police claim Jaramillo “ran in front of two vehicles trying to turn left onto Cedarcliff Drive, and into the far-left lane where the officer was driving” before she was hit.
The officer stopped and rendered aid, but Jaramillo died at a hospital.
Jaramillo had just graduated from Concord College, her mother told WFAA last week. She was excited to work as a physical therapist for children and the elderly.
Some unknowns surround the accident, such as the speed at which the officer was traveling and what their dash camera footage shows.
Attorney Jack Kovar is representing the family and told WFAA that he and the family have seen the footage and will discuss some of it at the press conference.
“We’ll speak to the details of exactly what happened in the accident,” Kovar said. “All I will say is there will certainly be changes coming to the community. Aresly was an amazing young woman, and this is an exceptional case. While we can’t change what happened to her, it’s our job to ensure it doesn’t happen to someone else.”
A spokesperson for the Dallas Police Department sent WFAA the following statement:
“While we do not comment on pending litigation, this is a tragedy for Ms. Jaramillo, her family, and our department. There is dash camera video and still photography of the incident; however, out of respect for Ms. Jaramillo and her family, the department will not release it to the public.”
WFAA will be at Wednesday’s press conference and will provide updates as they happen.