Court records show that one of St. Louis’s former police chiefs, who filed a wrongful-death case in 2018 after his wife was crushed and killed by a 2,900-pound “piece of concrete” that fell from a nearby bridge after an automobile damaged it, has negotiated a settlement.
From 2001 to 2008, Joseph Mokwa was St. Louis Metropolitan Police Chief; he consented to a six-figure settlement Monday, with $251,244.52 going to him and $253,655.48 to his lawyers at Bruntrager and Billings, PC. St. Louis Judge Scott A. Millikan approved the arrangement; Mokwa’s request for approval detailed what allegedly happened to 58-year-old Janet Torrisi-Mokwa, who sat on the Humane Society, Professional Organization of Women and the World Pediatric Project’s Boards.
“Torrisi-Mokwa, was operating her motor vehicle on Forest Park Parkway,” the motion says, describing the July 23, 2018, incident. Police responded at around 12:15 p.m. that day after the incident unfolded, according to local reports.
“Demaya Angelou Love [the other driver] was operating her vehicle while traveling south on Union Blvd. when she suddenly lost control of her vehicle, striking the curb, an electric signal, driving up onto the sidewalk and striking the bridge barrier/railing,” the document alleges. “After striking the bridge barrier/railing, the barrier broke apart sending concrete pieces down onto Forest Park Parkway below.”
Mokwa’s lawyers claim that his wife died after her car was struck with a “2,900-pound piece of concrete” from the Lindell-Union Bridge above. According to their lawsuit, the bridge was renovated several times in the past following a string of separate incidents and violated local safety criteria.
“Plaintiff Joseph Mokwa believes that the settlement and distribution set forth above is fair and equitable considering the factual and legal issues surrounding this matter,” his Monday motion wrote.
Torrisi-Mokwa was hailed as a well-known businesswoman with links all across St. Louis following her death. She apparently started the Women’s Leadership Council of the Humane Society of Missouri and was well-known for fundraising for needy animals.
Following the incident, Mokwa sued the other vehicle’s driver and the city, along with his insurance company. He resolved the insurance complaint, but his claims against Love remain outstanding.
