Family of pastor killed after cop crashed into him upset by seeing his colleagues in courtroom
The family of late Connecticut Pastor Tommie Jackson, who was killed after he was hit by a speeding police cruiser last summer, say they were “insulted” after more than 30 people, said to be mostly officers, showed up in court Wednesday to support their 25-year-old colleague charged with the pastor’s death.
Darnell D. Crosland, the attorney for Jackson’s family, told NBC Connecticut that the support for officer Zachary Lockwood, 25, who is charged with misconduct with a motor vehicle, is "insulting" and "disheartening."
“We’re paying these tax dollars, and these officers coming here, and they intimidate this family. As you might have noticed, things were almost getting physical because they were saying he didn’t kill anyone, that it was just an accident," Crosland said.
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Jackson, who was a beloved pastor at Rehoboth Fellowship Church and Faith Tabernacle Church in Stamford, also served as an assistant director of the city's Urban Redevelopment Commission.
A statement from the Stamford Police Department said Jackson, 69, was struck at approximately 4:12 p.m. by Stamford Police Officer Zachary Lockwood, who was operating a Stamford Police marked patrol vehicle. Lockwood reportedly performed CPR on Jackson until medics arrived. He was pronounced dead at Stamford Hospital.
Lockwood was charged by state police on Feb. 9 with misconduct with a motor vehicle after a months-long investigation into the pastor’s death. Jackson’s family filed a lawsuit against the city and the officer alleging he was negligent and reckless on July 26, when he struck Jackson with his cruiser as the pastor crossed Wire Mill Road after getting his mail, the Stamford Advocate said.
Under Connecticut law, “A person is guilty of misconduct with a motor vehicle when, with criminal negligence in the operation of a motor vehicle, he causes the death of another person.”
It is classified as a class D felony, which is punishable by a prison term of up to five years, a fine of up to $5,000, or both. A person acts with “criminal negligence” when he fails to perceive a substantial and unjustifiable risk of accidentally causing someone's death.
A state police report says Lockwood was responding to an accident with no injuries. He was also traveling at speeds up to 65 mph just 300 feet before the collision. He was also using his siren "intermittently" and activated his siren for the last time just 15 seconds before he struck the pastor.
"Officer Lockwood’s behavior was three things that day: it was unacceptable, it was reckless, and it was deadly. It could have been 100 percent avoidable," Crosland said.
“He (Lockwood) is heard through his body cam talking to a colleague and saying, F that, I'm going to go code three, which means light sirens and extreme speed.”
When Jackson was struck by Lockwood, the report says he was driving 46 mph. Court documents say a fellow officer had advised Lockwood to slow down but he said, “I'm going to go code three anyway.”
Crosland argued in his lawsuit on behalf of the pastor’s family that Lockwood knew there were pedestrians on the road, including Jackson, and "appreciated that there was a risk of causing an accident if he drove at an unreasonable, improper and excessive rate of speed for the road."
"The defendant Zachary Lockwood ignored these risks, and he willfully chose to drive at an unreasonable, improper and excessive rate of speed for the roadway," Crosland argued. "As a result of Tommie Jackson’s death, his wife, Dorye Jackson, was caused to lose the consortium, companionship, love, affection and care provided by her husband, Reverend Jackson."
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