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Zayne Ortiz

Gender : Male

Age : 14

Race : Latino/a/e

Date : 03/25/2021

Location : Chicot Road

City : Little Rock

County : Pulaski

State : Arkansas

Agency : Little Rock Police Department

Officer(s) :Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Passenger killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

In March 2021, a Little Rock police officer chased a “stolen SUV” driven by a 12-year-old girl who had taken the vehicle without permission. During the pursuit, a supervisor ordered the officer to disengage, but the chase continued south along Chicot Road. The vehicle lost control, crashed, and overturned, killing 14-year-old passenger Zayne Ortiz and injuring two others.
The Little Rock Police Department did not disclose the fatal pursuit until more than a year later, prompting outrage from Ortiz’s family and city officials. Public records revealed that the pursuing officer violated pursuit policy by ignoring orders to end the chase. The officer resigned following an internal investigation, and another officer involved was suspended. The supervising officer or the pursuing officer’s names have not been publicly released.
After public pressure and local media coverage, the department revised its pursuit policy and adopted stricter public disclosure requirements. The case became a flashpoint for accountability in Little Rock’s police oversight and remains cited in discussions of transparency reforms.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.kark.com/news/working4you/lrpd-never-disclosed-2021-pursuit-deadly-crash/
https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2022/jul/15/lrpd-didnt-disclose-teen-death-in-2021-police-chase/
https://corruptionsucks.blogspot.com/2022/07/lrpd-never-disclosed-2021-pursuit-crash.html