Holding that the law isn’t clear as to whether shooting at a suspect fleeing in a vehicle is acceptable, a federal appeals court nonetheless upheld the dismissal of an excessive force case against two Fayette County police officers.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit on Feb. 17 sided with Redstone Township Police officer Norman Howard, who was sued along with fellow officer Roy Mehalik for shooting at James S. Thompson after he fled from a March 9, 2008, traffic stop, crashed into a police cruiser, and sped through the lawns and sidewalks of a residential neighborhood.
