Widow sues police officer, Pontoon Beach and Ford over crash that killed her husband

The widow of a man killed in a traffic crash with a police car is suing the officer, the village and the car manufacturer.

Daniel Bell, 33, was killed in a head-on crash with Officer Lee Brousseau, of the Pontoon Beach Police Department, on Jan. 22. At about 8:15 a.m., Bell’s white Ford Ranger crossed into the oncoming lane and collided with Brousseau’s police car on Illinois 111 half a mile south of New Poag Road, a witness told police at the time.

The truck rolled over, according to police, and was engulfed in flames.

Bell was pronounced dead at the scene. Brousseau, 45, was seriously injured and flown to a St. Louis hospital. He had been an officer with Pontoon Beach for one year and for five years prior with South Roxana.

He would need multiple surgeries to repair broken bones in his legs, according to Pontoon Beach Mayor Mike Pagano, and was eventually released from the hospital in February. Family friends said he was in good spirits but does not remember the crash or its aftermath.

Now Bell’s widow, Starla Bell, is suing the village of Pontoon Beach, Brousseau and Ford Motor Co. The suit alleges first that Ford poorly designed the 2002 Ford Ranger, making it unusually susceptible to explosion, and reveals that Bell burned alive in the accident.

It also alleges that Brousseau was traveling at high speed, well above the posted speed limit, and was not responding to a call. He was on duty but driving an unmarked police car, according to the suit.

In all, there are five counts to the suit, each asking for at least $50,000 plus the cost of the suit.

Bell was survived by five children: a son, a daughter and three stepsons. Bell was a mechanic for Standard Auto Body and did not have life insurance. The family set up a GoFundMe page that raised about $1,600 toward funeral expenses.

This story was originally published June 27, 2018 at 5:58 PM.