Twenty-seven year old Lolomania "Lolo" Soakai, of Hayward, was killed in 2022 by a car being pursued by police through East Oakland. The chase reached speeds of 100 mph, when the vehicle being pursued spun out of control in the 5400 block of International Boulevard.
The collision set off a chain reaction that injured four people. Soakai was crushed and his mother's back was broken.
According to video evidence, Officers Walid Abdelaziz and Jimmy Marin-Coronel were pursuing then-19-year-old Arnold Linaldi, who had been doing donuts on International Boulevard.
An investigation revealed that the two officers carried out a "ghost pursuit." This meant that they did not inform police dispatch of the chase, nor did they use lights and sirens. This violated department policy by initiating a pursuit based on a traffic infraction and not a more serious crime.
Abdelaziz and Marin-Coronel were initially placed on administrative leave and then were stripped of their police powers. Both resigned last year.
The attorneys for the Soakai family successfully argued before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. They claimed the officers were not entitled to qualified immunity because they deliberately provoked a high-speed chase with the goal of harming a fleeing suspect.
The city of Oakland did not immediately respond to KALW’s request for comment.
Due to the large dollar amount of the settlement, it must officially be approved by the Oakland City Council, which meets next month.
If paid, this settlement will be the second-highest in Oakland's history, rivaling only the Ghost Ship fire lawsuit settled in 2020 for $33 million.
