GREENEVILLE, Tenn. — Family members of a woman who was fatally shot by Cocke County authorities in May 2023 after a chase that extended down Highway 340 and ended in an open field filed a civil, wrongful death lawsuit on Tuesday.
Whitney Leanne Fox, 36, was the mother of a 2-year-old child and the lawsuit said she was fatally shot by an officer from the Parrotsville Police Department and a lieutenant from the Cocke County Sheriff's Office. It said she had drug-related warrants issued eight months prior for failing to appear in court and violating probation.
It said the CCSO deputy spotted her driving a car and followed her to a gas station. When deputies approached though, it said she pulled back onto the road and the chase began. It said the chase lasted around 10 minutes and around a minute after coming to a stop, authorities shot 22 rounds into her car, hitting Fox 13 times.
It claims Fox tried to communicate with officers as they approached and yelled at her to get out of the car. It said Fox indicated she was afraid to get out because, the lawsuit said, she feared authorities would shoot her.
It said the authorities did not try to de-escalate after the chase ended. The lawsuit also said Fox tried to maneuver her car away from officers as she tried to flee, and said she did not pose a danger to the the officer. It also claims Fox's car was not "bearing down" on either officer, which could have created a reasonable fear of their safety.
Bodycam footage shows they fired shots after one of the officers walked in front of the car and it reversed away from him, turning in the process toward another officer standing at the car's side. Both had their weapons drawn and were demanding she get out of the car.
Attorney General Pro Tem Kevin Allen did not file criminal charges against either of the responding officers. He said the case was "straightforward," and said that deadly force was justified after Fox quickly reversed.
The lawsuit alleges the officers used excessive use-of-force, and both Parroitsville and Cocke County failed to train officers. It also alleges a count of battery against the officers, as well as negligence against all defendants It asks for $3.5 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages.