FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Eric Sanders, Esq., of The Sanders Firm, P.C., announces Nia Jasmine Reynolds has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the City of New York and alleged drunk driving NYPD Police Officer Rohan L. Shaw for failure to implement traffic calming devices enabling Shaw to operate his vehicle in an intoxicated condition while speeding causing the death of Ms. Joanna Dixon and seriously injuring her
NEW YORK, November 3, 2021 – Today, Ms. Reynolds filed a federal civil rights action about institutional failures within the City of New York that although it received repeated reports of motor vehicle accidents and complaints of ongoing speeding along Foster Avenue, an area comprised of ninety-five (95) percent Black residents that it could have implemented roadway design changes in the form of traffic calming measures to deter speeding, and that it failed to conduct a study of whether traffic calming measures were appropriate and therefore failed to implement any such measures.
According to the lawsuit, on December 8, 20219, Ms. Reynolds alleges that the City of New York’s failure to implement traffic calming devices along Foster Avenue enabled NYPD Police Officer Rohan L. Shaw to operate his 2019 Nissan Sedan in an intoxicated condition traveling in excess of 70 miles per hour, then colliding with a 2016 Mazda Sedan operated by Mr. Kwesi Vidale aka Shawn White at the corner of East 55th Street instantly killing Ms. Joanna Dixon and seriously injuring plaintiff.
Ms. Reynolds alleges that she underwent a five-hour-long surgery to repair a crushed pelvis and a fractured sacrum. She also suffered bleedings on the brain, a fractured skull, a left sphenoid sinus fracture, a right maxillary sinus fracture, right orbital wall fractures (superior and lateral), a fracture left clavicle, four broken ribs, liver laceration, lung contusions and other related injuries. Ms. Reynolds she remained hospitalized from December 8, 2019 through December 28, 2019.
On December 9, 2019, although Mr. Shaw was initially charged with criminally negligent homicide, vehicular manslaughter, reckless driving, speeding and driving while impaired by alcohol, the Office of the District Attorney for Kings County declined to prosecute and claims to have been “continuing to investigate.” According to the lawsuit, upon information and belief, the initial determination that Mr. Shaw was intoxicated proved to be invalid inconsistent calibration problems with the Preliminary Breath Test machine. Also, Ms. Reynolds claims upon information and belief, there was a significant delay seeking a search warrant to obtain Mr. Shaw’s blood to establish legal intoxication. According to the lawsuit, the aforementioned have the indicia of covering up Mr. Shaw’s criminal conduct.
“The department should be held legally responsible for this obstruction of justice. Agents of the City of New York through the Police Department failed to properly record and/or conceal evidence to ensure defendant Rohan Shaw could not be prosecuted for his criminal conduct,” said lawyer Eric Sanders.
The federal civil rights lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York: Nia Jasmine Reynolds v. City of New York, et al. Docket No.: 21 cv 6111.
ABOUT THE SANDERS FIRM, P.C.
The Sanders Firm, P.C. offers those in the New York City area legal services related and connected to civil rights, civil service rights, criminal law and discrimination. We firmly believe in everyone’s individual rights that are described and guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States of America. We understand that our freedoms and liberties are sacrosanct and that they have been won in many and various hard-fought battles. We are committed in every way to protecting your civil rights.
CONTACT
Eric Sanders, Esq.
President and Owner, The Sanders Firm, P.C.
Business Phone: 212-652-2782
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