A federal appeals court ruled Oakland police can be held liable for the 2022 death of Lolo Soakai, a bystander killed after an unauthorized pursuit—challenging qualified immunity and allowing the family's lawsuit to proceed.

According to KTVU, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Friday that the Oakland Police Department can be held liable for the death of Lolomanaia “Lolo” Soakai, a 28-year-old bystander killed in a 2022 crash following an unauthorized police pursuit. The ruling allows the family’s wrongful death lawsuit against the city to proceed and marks a significant challenge to the use of qualified immunity in reckless pursuit cases, which often shields police officers from civil liability.

On June 26, 2022, rookie OPD officers Walid Abdelaziz and Jimmy Marin-Coronel pursued 19-year-old Arnold Azael Linaldi, who was allegedly leaving a sideshow on International Boulevard. The officers initiated a “ghost chase”—unauthorized under department policy, with no supervisor approval and no lights or sirens. During the pursuit, Linaldi crashed into a row of parked vehicles and motorcycles, setting off a chain-reaction collision. A motorcycle flew into Soakai, who was standing at a taco truck with his mother after attending a family graduation. Soakai was killed at the scene. His mother sustained a broken back, and two cousins were hospitalized.

The court held that officers may be held accountable under the Fourteenth Amendment’s due process clause. In a 48-page opinion, the 9th Circuit found the officers had "affirmatively created danger" and failed to get help for the victims. One judge noted it was plausible the officers caused harm for reasons “unrelated to any legitimate law enforcement purpose,” citing body cam footage where one said of the driver, “I hope he dies.”

While narrow in scope, the ruling sets precedent within the 9th Circuit and puts limits on police pursuits deemed reckless. The City of Oakland may appeal, potentially delaying proceedings further. As of late 2024, both officers remained on the force, despite reported efforts to fire them in 2023.

The case lands amid debate over pursuit policy. Governor Newsom has urged Oakland to loosen restrictions, but critics argue Soakai’s death shows why stricter oversight is essential.

Previously: Report Alleges Oakland PD Officers Lied About No-Headlights, 100-MPH Car Chase That Killed Bystander

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