CHICAGO — The family attorney of a 16-year-old girl is seeking a major settlement to help compensate for her extensive injuries sustained amid an incident with Chicago police.
Video shot from a bank on May 31, 2020, shows the moment Astarte Washington, who her attorney says was 14 at the time she was run over twice by a CPD squad SUV.
Washington’s family attorney Robert Fakhouri spoke with WGN News about the video’s release and new demands by the family for compensation.
“One thing that she can never escape from or hide is the tire track marks that are permanently on her abdomen and inner right thigh,” Fakhouri said.
Fakhouri says more than anything, Astarte wants to put the horrendous incident behind her. Fakhouri says Astarte and the officer-involved completed depositions within the past two weeks. Now, the family attorney is asking the city for a $2.1 million settlement for Astarte and her family.
“For me as her attorney, it’s my job to bring resolution as quickly as possible but at an amount that fairly compensates her for the injuries she sustained,” Fakhouri said.
Astarte, who had recently graduated from 8th grade with honors, was a gifted basketball player and student council president with a promising future. The day she was run over, Astarte and her brother were walking home when they got stopped by protests in Roseland at 111th and South Michigan. Police ordered those nearby to get on the ground and not to move.
Her family attorney said that while Astarte survived the painful ordeal, the teen continues to deal with mental, physical and emotional pain.
“The most prominent thing she is continuing to deal with is the PTSD that developed as a result of this incident,” Fakhouri said. “In addition to that, on a more physical level, while she has healed from most of her injuries, her right leg continues to give out on her.”
Astarte is now a high school student at Carver Military. Regardless of the pending litigation outcome, she wants the world to know she’s an overcomer.
“The most important thing I think Astarte would want people to know is she is resilient. She is strong, and she will overcome,” Fakhouri said.
The city responded, refusing to comment on ongoing litigation when asked by WGN News.