Wichita to pay out nearly $500,000 after police car rear-ended scooter

The city of Wichita plans to pay nearly $500,000 to settle a lawsuit after a police car rear-ended a motorized scooter carrying two people in November 2024.

The city’s law department will ask the Wichita City Council on Tuesday to approve a $498,340 settlement with Joseph Oliver and Patricia Carrion. The item is on the consent agenda, meaning it is scheduled to be approved without debate or discussion along with several other routine items.

Oliver filed a lawsuit against the city in April claiming Officer Taylor Reichard “negligently and wantonly rear-ended” his Piaggio gasoline powered scooter near 21st and Grove — “sending the scooter, (Oliver), and his passenger (Carrion) crashing down onto the roadway,” the filing says.

The city denied any negligence or wanton actions in its court reply to Oliver’s lawsuit and acknowledged Reichard’s vehicle struck Oliver and a passenger on Nov. 18, 2024.

Oliver said in court filings that the crash caused pain and injuries to his body, including his knees, neck, shoulder, elbow, back, hip, thigh, tailbone and right leg — along with road rash— that required emergency room treatment, orthopedic care, physical therapy, medications, imaging and other medical treatment.

Carrion, the passenger, had not yet filed a lawsuit against the city but filed notice under the Kansas Tort Claims Act in December 2025.

The city held a joint mediation with the two plaintiffs on June 25, where all parties agreed to a settlement of $498,340, with $160,000 to Oliver and $338,340 to Carrion, pending approval from the City Council, according to a statement from the city.

“We’re pleased that the parties were able to reach a fair resolution,” Corey Sucher of Bull Attorneys, who represented Oliver, said in a statement. “From the beginning, the City of Wichita and the Wichita Police Department took responsibility for this crash, and that honesty and professionalism made a real difference in getting the case resolved without extensive litigation. Most importantly, we’re thankful that Mr. Oliver and his passenger survived and have been able to move forward with their lives. We appreciate the City’s willingness to work with us to reach a resolution that fairly compensated them for the injuries and losses they suffered.”

This story was originally published July 10, 2026 at 4:29 PM.