Police pursuit policy questioned by innocent driver hit with medical and financial damages

A North Texas driver says police should quit chasing stolen vehicles after he was nearly killed in a pursuit this month.

Stephen Dorfman of Rockwall still has big medical and financial problems from the October 2 accident in Rowlett.

His family has started a “Go Fund Me” account to help.

The police pursuit of a stolen vehicle started in Garland.

It ended at the corner of Lakeview Parkway and Kenwood Drive near the George Bush Turnpike.

Dorfman and his 3-year-old son were in his Dodge Dakota Pickup truck.

“I went to pull out because I had a green arrow to turn. So, I went to start turning, and the next thing I know I’m in an ambulance on the way to the hospital. My 3-year-old sitting there,” Dorfman said.

He did not recall what hit him but was very relieved to find his son was OK.

Dorfman is just now back on his feet with four broken ribs, a concussion, and a hand injury that kept him from the tire repair work he did.

While paying off the new engine that was just put in the older truck, he had allowed the insurance to lapse, so he is grounded without a replacement for his totaled truck.

“It was rush hour, 5:30 in the afternoon on a Monday. I don’t think they should have been chasing him,” Dorfman said. “It’s a busy intersection right there. There’s always a lot of people right there. I just don’t think they should have been chasing him through the intersection like that.”

The accident report said 19-year-old Amerion Toliver of Garland drove a Kia Soul stolen from Mansfield.

Toliver was also injured. After a hospital visit, Toliver is now in the Dallas County Jail on a $155,000 bond, facing three felony charges from the incident.

Garland Police spokesman Lieutenant Richard Maldonado said the chase began in Garland when officers discovered the Kia that had been reported stolen, and the driver evaded officers.

That is enough in Garland Police policy to initiate a pursuit. The policy calls for stopping a pursuit if officers have reason to believe the public will be in danger from the actions of the suspect.

Read Garland PD's police pursuit policy

Maldonado said this chase lasted only a few minutes, and the suspect did not give reason to stop it before the wreck occurred.

Garland Police General Order 307.3 authorizes police to initiate pursuits with due regard to all persons and property.

Garland Section 307.3.1 says:

“Officers are authorized to initiate a pursuit when the officer has reason to believe that a suspect has been given an appropriate signal to stop by a law enforcement officer, and the driver is attempting to evade arrest or detention by fleeing in a vehicle at high speeds or other evasive maneuvers.”

Dallas Police General Order 301.07 is more restrictive about allowing pursuits to begin, stating that the protection of human life is the primary goal.

“Accordingly, the decision to initiate a pursuit must be based on the pursuing officer’s conclusion that the immediate danger to the officer, public, and suspect created by the pursuit is less than the immediate or potential danger to the public should the suspect remain at large.”

All of the Dallas Police General Orders, including 301.07, can be seen here.

Accident victim Stephen Dorfman said he favors a more cautious policy.

“Don’t get me wrong. I want to catch people if they’re stealing a vehicle but not if it’s going to get somebody else hurt at the same time,” Dorfman said.

Messages for anyone connected with suspect Amerion Toliver left at the address in his driver's license records were not returned Monday. Cases listed on the Dallas County Jail website for his detention were not listed in court records. It was not clear if Toliver had a lawyer.

Messages for Rowlett Police about the accident in their city were not returned Monday.