BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The City of Buffalo will pay $43 million to Chelsea Ellis after she was left paralyzed in a crash involving a Buffalo Police SUV in 2020.
Buffalo's Common Council Claims Committee approved Tuesday plans for how the city will settle with Ellis.
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"This is an unspeakable accident but I thank this body today for reviewing this matter for the recommendation for approval that we can all take this small part in helping them, in helping Chelsea," Cavette Chambers with the City of Buffalo Corporation Counsel said.
Masten District Council member Ulysees Wingo and University District Council member Rasheed Wyatt were emotional talking about what happened to Ellis.
"We are extremely, extremely broken-hearted for — I am, I'll speak for myself — for the family and I am praying that this settlement brings some relief," Wingo said.
"And I know $43 million is not going to make her whole but we hope that there's some simplest that she can regain her life — she wanted to start a school and she had these big dreams," Wyatt said.
Wingo said the city will use bonds to pay for what he calls an unprecedented settlement. For more than 50 years the city has never had to use bonds to settle a case and instead used funds reserved for lawsuits, he said.
"Just imagine if that was your family member on the corner — your heart goes out so you wanna do the right thing and I believe that corporation counsel did the right thing," Wingo said.
