Jul. 14, 2004 - Federal judge clears Florence police in wrongful death suit

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A federal judge has ruled that Florence, AL, police are not responsible in the wrongful death case brought by the widow of a man who tried to flee and ended up drowning in Cypress Creek.

The judge granted the police department's request for a summary judgment, citing a lack of evidence proving any wrongdoing when officers tried to apprehend Ricky Edwards during an early morning chase on Oct. 2, 1999. Three autopsies concluded that foul play was not a factor in his death.

According to court documents, police officer Jacob Pugh tried to pull Edwards over for a traffic violation, but Edwards sped away to the Carver Heights neighborhood, where he abandoned his car and began running into a wooded area. Pugh followed him, until he heard a splashing sound and what sounded like someone trying to swim. Edwards' body was found nearly 12 hours later in 8 feet of water at Cypress Creek.