Miguel Alvarado (36) caused an absurd amount of chaos on one afternoon, last March. Now, victims of the crime spree are arguing the police put them at risk.

First, police arrested Alvarado for lighting fires in a Walmart parking lot in Bedford Park, Illinois. They charged him with misdemeanor reckless conduct and released him.

Then, the police got a call that someone was at a gas station, tossing products off the shelves and harassing customers. When they got to the Speedway, who did they find? Alvarado again.

When officers told Alvarado they were taking him down to the station, he apparently asked to have a cigarette before they put him in the back of the squad car. The arresting officers made a fateful decision: they said “sure.” They even reportedly turned their back on the suspect.

Alvarado highjacked a squad car–and USPS truck–causing tragedy

Alvarado took the opportunity to hijack the police car and race away. He drove the car to the town of Chicago Ridge where he abandoned it on a set of railroad tracks.

Fleeing on foot, Alvarado spotted a USPS truck. He dragged the driver out of the truck and punched her in the face. Then he drove away in her truck.

The wild crime spree turned tragic when Alvarado lost control of the truck and slammed into a woman’s car. Her sons, 7 and 4, were in the back seat. The family claims the boys both suffered traumatic brain injuries and is suing the police department over its “utter indifference to the safety of others.”

The boys’ father said, “I’ve decided to file this lawsuit, because my children will need a lifetime of care.”

Attorney Jack Casciato added,  “Someone who was committing arson earlier in the day, you don’t allow them to walk across the street to have a cigarette and give them the opportunity to flee police officers, and then carelessly and recklessly allow him into a police vehicle where he takes off.” You can see the latest coverage in the video below: