ATLANTA — Nearly a year after Cooper Schoenke was killed in a crash while Georgia State Patrol chased another driver, his mother has filed a lawsuit.
Kate Schoenke filed the wrongful death lawsuit against the Georgia Department of Public Safety and the driver accused of causing the crash, Faduma Mohamed.
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The lawsuit claims that GSP is liable for Cooper Schoenke’s death because the trooper was following protocol while chasing Mohamed. However, the lawsuit argues that the trooper operated recklessly by chasing her though city streets.
Since the 19-year-old’s death, lawmakers and advocates have called for GSP to stop chasing drivers.
Georgia State Patrol said a trooper tried to pull over a driver in a Chevrolet Equinox for speeding on Interstate 20 around last April. Investigators said the driver, identified as Mohamed, sped away and got off at Moreland Avenue.
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GSP said Mohamed then ran a red light and crashed into a Honda Accord, and killed Schoenke.
Surveillance video shared with Channel 2 Action News showed the moments after the crash.
Witnesses say Mohamed, 23, appeared to be celebrating as she survived the crash and was placed into an ambulance.
“Throwing up hand signs, middle fingers. Maybe, I don’t know, a reaction as if she survived and it was a celebration more than a disappointment,” said witness Shamir Yates.
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