The Death of Joy Lambert

On February 8th, 2016, Joy Lamert was driving in a Buick to her work at BMO Harris Bank where she worked as a senior personal banker.

Also on the road that morning was LaRonda Graham in a rented Ford Fusion. Winnebago County Sheriff Deputy Christopher Moski spotted the Fusion traveling opposite of him and did a u-turn in the middle of the street to pursue it.

Moski did not know who was driving the car. He said to dispatchers that he was only in pursuit due to alleged traffic violations. The chase reached speeds over 90 MPH and extended for over 2 and a half miles before Moski decided to back off. They Fusion and the deputy still continued down the same street with Moski further back.

Five seconds later, it reached a fatal end in the intersection of Springfield Avenue and Cunningham Road when Graham’s Fusion crashed into Joy’s Buick.

Joy was ejected for her vehicle and died at the scene.

Just a few months prior to the fatal crash, Winnebago County Sheriff Gary Caruana gave his deputies the okay to be more aggressive in their pursuits due to what he described as an epidemic of drivers fleeing.

Eight years later, the family of Joy reached a settlement with the county for 3.3 million dollars.

Lambert’s Buick captured by Rockford Register Star.