City pays $300K settlement in deadly police chase, files new appeal over officer’s reinstatement

BOYNTON BEACH Florida WPBF The City of Boynton Beach has agreed to pay to the family of Jayden Carlos Ethan Readon a -year-old boy who was struck and killed during an unauthorized police pursuit in The chase was initiated by then-officer Mark Sohn who violated department agenda by failing to activate his lights or sirens and did not seek approval before chasing the fleeing suspect The lawsuit filed by Jayden s parents accused Sohn and the city of negligence and reckless disregard for residents safety The driver being chased Lex Eugene crashed and hit the child as he walked on a sidewalk with his family Sohn Has Long Disciplinary History Court records reviewed by WPBF News show Sohn had previously been disciplined for multiple unauthorized pursuits insubordination and other strategy violations In Sohn was fired by the city after the death of -year-old Stanley Davis III who crashed his dirt bike while fleeing from a traffic stop Sohn initiated An internal assessment revealed Sohn violated pursuit framework even though the Florida Highway Patrol concluded he was not at fault for the crash Neighborhood outrage followed with Stanley Davis family and civil rights activists demanding Sohn be held accountable Arbitrator Ordered Sohn Reinstated In May an arbitrator sided with the police union and ordered Sohn be rehired The arbitrator ruled that the city had not made Sohn adequately aware of the seriousness of violating the department s pursuit approach The city appealed that ruling in Palm Beach County Circuit Court but lost NEW City Files Appeal to Fourth District Court of Appeal Now WPBF News has certified that on June the city filed a new notice of appeal this time to the Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal The city is seeking to overturn the reinstatement and block Sohn from returning to the Boynton Beach Police Department Casualties Families Outraged During a populace meeting in May the family of Stanley Davis III along with dozens of population members urged city leaders to keep Sohn off the force He serves this population no purpose revealed Stanley s mother Shannon Thompson Seeing my -year-old son lie on the asphalt breathless is an image I cannot wipe out The city commission voted unanimously to pursue the appeal Meanwhile the Readon family has not publicly commented on the settlement which was finalized earlier this year What Happens Next The Fourth DCA will now decide whether to take up the appeal If the court declines the arbitrator s reinstatement order will stand If the court agrees to hear the event both sides will submit legal briefs and potentially argue the development before a panel of judges