A Queens South Officer sustained serious back injuries when the RMP she was operating collided with a civilian motorist at an intersection which lights were not operating properly. The Officer sustained serious back injuries which required surgery and she was awarded a ¾ line-of-duty disability pension. One of the light stanchions at the intersection had been struck and damaged by a prior automobile accident. This caused the broken stanchion to strike and damage a second light stanchion causing the remaining functioning light to stay on green in all directions for that intersection.

DCD hired an accident reconstructionist who determined the City was at fault for the manner in which the lights at the intersection were positioned. The expert reasoned that the light stanchions were situated too close together elevating the possibility of one stanchion affecting the other stanchion if struck during an automobile collision. The City settled the case for $750,000 during a pre-trial conference.