SEATTLE — A Bellevue Police officer who spent nearly a month at Harborview after falling off an overpass in Seattle last year is suing Washington state.
On Aug. 15, 2023, motorcycle officer Kevin Bereta was part of the motorcade for Vice President Kalama Harris. As he drove across the South Michigan Street overpass, he was unable to navigate the turn, hit the curb, and was launched off his bike, falling 30 feet onto Interstate 5 below.
According to the officer’s law firm, Bereta was the third motorcyclist to be launched over the 27-inch railing.
“An extensive review of public records revealed that the State knew a decade ago that a 42-inch barrier was needed to render overpasses reasonably safe,” a news release from The Stritmatter Firm said.
The firm says the state was well aware of the danger of the overpass to motorcyclists because motorcyclists were launched over the edge of the overpass in 2018 and 2020.
The 2018 incident was fatal. The 2020 incident resulted in severe injuries, but the motorcyclist survived.
After the accident, Bereta underwent numerous surgeries for injuries to his back, leg, foot, elbow, clavicle, and other parts of his body, as well as nerve damage and spinal fractures.
He returned to work in September, more than a year after the fall.
The amount that Bereta could be awarded will be determined during the trial.