Taiwan Court Orders Compensation in BMW Crash Involving Police Pursuit

Two women involved in a 2022 car accident caused by police chasing a motorcyclist without a helmet receive compensation from Kaohsiung City Police Bureau.

In a case highlighting the complexities of police procedures and civilian safety, a court in Taiwan has ordered the Kaohsiung City Police Bureau to pay compensation to two women involved in a 2022 car accident.

The incident occurred in October 2022 when officers of the Shanlin Police Substation under the Qishan Branch of the Kaohsiung City Police Bureau, including officers with the surnames Chen and Huang, initiated a pursuit of a motorcyclist not wearing a helmet. During the chase on Shanxian Road in the Shanlin District, the police vehicle collided with a white BMW driven by a 37-year-old man named Yan. The impact also involved another vehicle, resulting in a three-car collision with five individuals injured.

Yan, the driver of the BMW, sustained severe injuries and was left in a vegetative state. The police officer, Chen, who was driving the patrol car, was subsequently charged. A first-instance court found Chen negligent and sentenced him to six months in prison for causing serious bodily harm. The other two women, surnamed Lin, who were also affected by the collision, filed for state compensation with the Kaohsiung City Police Bureau.

According to reports, the police patrol vehicle was pursuing the motorcyclist with sirens and emergency lights activated when it collided with the BMW. The BMW subsequently lost control, veered into the opposite lane, and collided with a black car driven by one of the Lin women.

Dashcam footage showed the BMW spinning nearly 180 degrees after the initial impact. The driver of the BMW, Yan, suffered severe head injuries. Other injuries sustained included abrasions to the passengers in the BMW, and to the Lin women.

Officer Chen argued in court that he was concerned about the safety of others and, in attempting to apprehend a motorcyclist suspected of drug use, had activated lights and sirens, and slowed down before entering the intersection. The court, however, determined that although the BMW driver was speeding and failed to yield, Officer Chen also bore some responsibility. He was convicted of causing serious bodily harm.

The Lin women sought over NT$1 million (approximately US$31,000) in state compensation, citing the need for multiple cosmetic surgeries and the impact of the accident on their work and mental health. The Kaohsiung City Police Bureau argued that Officer Chen was not at fault and that the compensation demands were excessive. The court, however, held that the police officer was at fault and ordered the Bureau to compensate the driver, Lin, NT$585,856 (approximately US$18,000) and the passenger, Lin, NT$77,694 (approximately US$2,400).