Neighborhood believes city should pay for damage caused by JPD cruiser

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – The entrance to the North Jackson subdivision was damaged due to a crash involving a city vehicle.

Now the homeowners are upset that they kept the bag waiting for repairs.

A pile of bricks at the intersection of Old Canton Road and Woodcrest Drive reminds residents of the Meadow Oaks subdivision that the city is not taking responsibility for the damage caused by its employees.

“A police car lost control and went through this intersection, destroying our brick pillars,” local resident Luke McClinton said.

A Jackson Police officer was transported to the hospital after the crash in January. The top of the column fell into another courtyard about 150 meters away.

For nine months, citizens have been petitioning the municipality for repairs. McClinton went to two city council meetings with complaints and was referred to Constituent Services.

“We would think that the city would step forward and repair it, knowing that it had damaged this property,” McClinton said. “What kind of situation or issue would they face if a resident lost control of their vehicle and damaged city hall?”

Jackson’s Risk Management Division sent a letter after the investigation stating that the city was not responsible. He also noted that the city is a self-insured government agency and that the cause of the damage does not prove a legal finding that the city is responsible. The damage claim was denied.

“I thought if you were driving a vehicle on the road, it had to be insured under Mississippi law,” the homeowner of more than 10 years added. “There is no support here for something they are 100 percent responsible for.”

Homeowners are determining the next course of action to repair the entry.

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