Fatal Encounters

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

William Vesper "Bill" Owen IV

Name: William Vesper "Bill" Owen IV
Age: 35
Gender: Male
Race: European-American/White
Date: 02/17/2003
Location: Rotunda Dr & S Military
Dearborn, Michigan, 48124
County: Wayne
Agency: Dearborn Police Department
Cause of Death: Vehicle
Intended Use of Force: Vehic/Purs
Media summary: Officer Agron Seiko was reportedly heading westbound in the left-turn lane of Oakwood with his patrol car's flashing lights on when he ran a red light at about 5 p.m. on Rotunda. Seiko's cruiser hit a 2002 Volkswagen Jetta driven by William Vesper Owen IV, who was pulling out of the parking lot of Ford Motor Company, where he worked. Seiko was driving 59 mph in a 35 mph zone at the time of the crash. Prosecutors said that Seiko, 20, was assigned to write parking tickets and impound cars, and had no authority to join in the police chase he was en route to. Seiko was convicted of negligent homicide in Owen's death. A Wayne County Circuit jury returned a $25 million verdict in 2005, though the city appealed and eventually reached a $6 million settlement.
Unique ID: 20973

News article: Link






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