Arizona student seriously injured in 'promposal'-gone-wrong sues school for $1M
CHANDLER, ARIZONA: A "promposal" that turned disastrous at a Chandler high school has resulted in a lawsuit against the school district and the city.
The incident left a student severely injured, prompting legal action for what is claimed was a preventable occurrence.
Senior injured in deliberate crash at Arizona high school
According to Khou, last April at Arizona College Prep High School, senior William Vannasap faced a life-altering moment.
Exiting school grounds on his motorcycle after classes, Vannasap found himself at the receiving end of a collision orchestrated by another student driving a Porsche.
Deliberately disregarding a stop sign, the Porsche driver rammed into Vannasap, propelling him airborne and causing significant injuries.
Describing the event, attorney April Speelmon, now representing Vannasap, emphasized that this was not a random accident but a premeditated incident. "It really was a dangerous plan," Speelmon affirmed.
The notice of claim states that the Porsche's driver intended to craft a "promposal" to ask a fellow student to the upcoming dance.
Both students were in the car during the crash. Allegedly, the plan involved speeding through the intersection, feigning trouble with the school resource officer (SRO), and then presenting a prom invitation.
Negligence allegations and conflicting accounts
However, the plan failed to consider the right-of-way for other traffic at the intersection. Speelmon highlighted that the speed at which the Porsche was traveling, over 40 mph, endangered Vannasap's life.
"[Vannasap] very easily could have died in this accident by just milliseconds' difference in timing," Speelmon stated, emphasizing the severity of the situation.
The claim further implicates the SRO and school principal, alleging their awareness and consent to the plan.
Security footage reportedly shows them present in a police cruiser moments before the collision, suggesting their involvement.
Speelmon accused the school authorities of negligence: "Those adults at the school should have said 'no, we're not going to do this.'"
Contradicting accounts emerged as the SRO claimed ignorance about the speeding aspect, stating he anticipated a "slow roll."
Similarly, the principal denied prior knowledge, attributing his presence in the cruiser to an unrelated discussion.
Legal pursuit and compensation demand
However, the driver's statement to Chandler Police, obtained by Speelmon, contradicts these claims.
The driver purportedly informed investigators about discussing the plan with the SRO and school administration beforehand, asserting their agreement.
Seeking justice, Speelmon seeks a $1 million settlement against Chandler Unified School District, the City of Chandler, the SRO, and school principal, citing Vannasap's sustained traumatic brain injury and emotional distress.
Notably, the potential lawsuit excludes the teen driver, as Speelmon revealed they are pursuing a separate claim against him.
Chandler Police declined to comment on the Notice of Claim, and CUSD also chose not to issue a statement on the matter.
