Fatal Encounters

A step toward creating an impartial, comprehensive and searchable national database of people killed during interactions with police

Mary Muniz

Name: Mary Muniz
Age: 62
Gender: Female
Race: Hispanic/Latino
Date: 03/20/2018
Location: Portage Street & E Crosstown Pkwy
Kalamazoo, Michigan, 49007
County: Kalamazoo
Agency: Kalamazoo Public Safety
Cause of Death: Vehicle
Intended Use of Force: Pursuit
Media summary: Public Safety Officer Joel West spotted Vyverman's Ford F-150 after another officer reported Vyverman had failed to stop. West followed Vyverman's Ford F-150 west. West said he turned on his lights to try to stop the vehicle, but he turned off his lights and told dispatchers he would not actively pursue the truck as it picked up speed, fleeing north on Portage. A public safety officer going south on Portage also turned around in front of West's patrol car to follow the truck, and another patrol car pulled ahead from a side street. Vyverman's truck crashed a half-mile later, hitting a car driven by Mary Muniz, 62, and killing both her and her husband, Juan Muniz, 66.
Unique ID: 24182

News article: Link






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