Dedicated to Sarah Phillips
Jim Phillips founded PursuitWatch.org after his daughter Sarah became another innocent victim of pursuit. She died December 13, 2001, in Winter Park, Florida. (Photo with permission by Orlando Sentinel)
Why PursuitWatch
By Jim Phillips
Circa 2010
At 1 AM on December 13, 2001, 20-year-old Winter Park, Florida college student Sarah Phillips dropped off a group of her friends after going to see the Christmas blockbuster "Ocean's 11." She left their apartment complex, turned west, and began her short trip home. It was Christmas break and she had spent a busy, fun day with her friends. After she had gone a couple of blocks down the road she noticed several blue lights in her rear view mirror, a police stop was taking place behind her. She proceeded down the speed-bumped road for another 3/4 mile, toward the T-intersection at the end of road, and she came upon another police vehicle, in the east bound lane and facing west, its emergency lights activated. Stop sticks were deployed across her lane of travel. She slowed and stopped, wondering, certainly concerned for what lay ahead. There was only the police car, no policeman, fear began to grip her. Less than 30 seconds later she was dead. The car deputies were pursuing-the car deputies thought they were stopping when they stopped Sarah ploughed into her at over 70 mph. PursuitWatch is the organization formed by family in an effort to stop the mindless carnage caused by unnecessary police pursuit.
In the eight years since the establishment of PursuitWatch.org the website has become the #1 source of information about police pursuits on the Internet and an extensive resource for victims, law enforcement, and the media. PursuitWatch has evolved into nationwide association of Citizens and Police Officers with a common goal: Safer and Smarter Police Pursuits.
PursuitWatch is dedicated to the topic of vehicular police pursuit. You will find a wealth of resources, news stories, archived discussion, and guidence for victims of pursuit.