The family of a commercial truck driver killed in a 2023 crash is seeking $28 million from the city of Lakewood, alleging officers violated state law and department rules when they initiated a high-speed pursuit that ended in his death, according to a wrongful-death claim filed by the family’s attorneys.
The claim, submitted under Washington’s tort-claim process, says 48-year-old Bohdan Vetrov died on June 29, 2023, when a juvenile fleeing from Lakewood police ran a red light and crashed into Vetrov’s semi-truck at the intersection of Freedom Way and Interstate 5.
Attorneys for the family argue the chase should never have happened and say officers lacked required certification, supervision, and legal justification before pursuing the teen suspect…