Fort Worth to pay $250,000 settlement in deadly 2023 police chase
The City of Fort Worth has agreed to pay $250,000 to the family of a man killed during a high-speed police chase in 2023.
The settlement, approved Tuesday by the Fort Worth City Council, resolves a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the father of Andre Craig, 57, who died after a collision with a police vehicle in South Fort Worth.
City records note the settlement is not an admission of wrongdoing by the City of Fort Worth.
Craig was killed in July 2023 when a Fort Worth police officer, pursuing a reported stolen vehicle, collided with Craig's car at an intersection. Witnesses said Craig had a green light. The police report stated the chase reached speeds of up to 100 mph on Evans Avenue, where the speed limit is 30 mph.
For nearly two years, Craig's family has pushed for accountability, urging the department to "own up" to its role in his death.
The department has not said whether the officer followed its pursuit policies, but no disciplinary action was taken following an internal investigation.
A Tarrant County grand jury later cleared the 20-year veteran officer of criminal wrongdoing.
The case prompted a nearly two-year investigation by the CBS News Texas I-Team into the Fort Worth Police Department's vehicle pursuit policy. In response to public records requests from the I-Team and other media outlets, the city sued the Texas Attorney General to block the release of the full policy. While portions were released in spring 2024, the department argued that disclosing the entire policy could compromise officer safety and effectiveness.
The man police were chasing, Brian Hunter, was charged with evading arrest causing death — a felony that carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison. His next court hearing is scheduled for September.
Neither Craig's family nor the Fort Worth Police Department responded to requests for comment on the settlement.
