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93 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, May 26, 2005 Today's News | Shop Our Valley | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery | Contact Us SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Health Biz Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley SHOP OUR VALLEY AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Classified Place an ad TOP JOBS EXTRA Ashland News NIE Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Moving here? eSouthernOregon CUSTOMER SERVICE FAQ's Advertise with us Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend May 25, 2005 Teen driver’s parents might file suit By SARAH LEMON Mail Tribune The parents of a drunken Ashland teen who died in a February high-speed crash have notified police agencies whose officers pursued the boy of the family’s possible intention to sue. Jackson County received a tort claim notice from James Stephens and Patrice Thatcher, the parents of 17-year-old Kevan Thatcher-Stephens, said Mike Jewett, county counsel. The letter legally reserves the couple’s right to sue the county and to seek indemnity if Thatcher-Stephens or his parents are found civilly liable for the Feb. 11 crash that also killed 26-year-old Charles Ashley Bench of Shady Cove. Stephens and Thatcher allege that Jackson County Sheriff’s Capt. Joe Puckett unreasonably pursued Kevan Thatcher-Stephens in a "congested traffic area," according to the notice received at the county on May 13. Thatcher declined comment Tuesday. "I expected something like this," Jewett said. "It really doesn’t mean anything. It’s way below a lawsuit." The county would deny Stephens’ and Thatcher’s allegations and defend any suit filed, Jewett said. Advertisement The city of Talent also received a tort claim notice from Thatcher and Stephens’ Portland attorney, said Police Chief Bob Rector. Talent officer Jeff Price initiated the pursuit of Thatcher- Stephens at Barnett Road. A grand jury last month ruled that Puckett and Price acted appropriately in pursuing Thatcher-Stephens as he raced along Riverside Avenue at speeds of more than 100 mph. However, the decision of that panel has no bearing on a civil suit, Jewett said. Police investigators still are looking into the source of alcohol Thatcher-Stephens consumed that night. The teen’s blood-alcohol content was at least .13 percent at the time of the collision. Oregon’s legal limit is .08 percent for those of legal drinking age. Thatcher-Stephens also had used marijuana sometime before his death, hospital lab tests showed. Puckett, who had a female rider, Talent reserve officer Michelle Gideon, on the night of the crash has remained on paid administrative leave pending a sheriff’s department internal investigation. Reach reporter Sarah Lemon at 776-4487, or e-mail [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback Free Music Downloads Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers home equity loans helzberg diamonds Distance Education Diamonds Online Poker Auto Insurance Mesothelioma Slippers Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation teleconferencing Website Design & Marketing Memory Foam Mattress w2 forms Mortgage Calculator Free Home-Loan Referrals Payday Loans Advertisement s