Here’s how much city will pay to settle after Wichita officer triggered three-car crash

The city of Wichita is poised to pay $80,000 to settle claims brought by two motorists who were involved in a crash caused by an officer in a police vehicle last year.

The City Council is expected to approve the settlement arising from the Sept. 17 accident at Tuesday’s meeting.

City spokesperson Megan Lovely described the crash as a “minor injury, three car collision involving a WPD employee.”

“A police vehicle rear-ended a vehicle in front of it in September of 2022, pushing the rear-ended vehicle into the vehicle in front of it,” Lovely wrote in an email when asked to provide more information about the incident.

Funding for the five-figure settlement will come from the city’s Self Insurance Fund, according to the staff report, which notes the payout does not constitute an admission of wrongdoing.

Like other recent settlements, including the $262,500 payout to the family of a woman who was stabbed to death by her roommate while police stood outside, Tuesday’s item is on the consent agenda, meaning it will be approved without discussion unless a member pulls it off for a separate vote.