GRAPHIC: Student severely injured in ‘promposal’ gone wrong files $1 million claim

CHANDLER, Ariz. (KPHO/Gray News) - An Arizona student’s lawyer says he was involved in a life-altering car crash when a “promposal” on his high school campus went horribly wrong. The city and the school district are now facing a $1 million lawsuit.

William Vannasap was a senior at Arizona College Prep High School when a “promposal” by another student turned into a car crash on school property. Surveillance video of the April incident shows William Vannasap on his motorcycle when a Porsche blows through a stop sign and crashes into him. He can be seen flying onto the pavement.

The video also shows a school resource officer at a parking lot near the stop sign quickly drive toward the crash, KPHO reports.

William Vannasap suffered a concussion, and the right side of his body was severely injured in the crash. He was on crutches for weeks and now has a herniated disc. He continues to suffer pain and memory issues that he thinks could be permanent, according to his lawyer, April Speelmon.

In October, Speelmon filed a notice of claim against the city of Chandler, the school resource officer, the principal and the Chandler Unified School District for a $1 million settlement.

“They do bear liability and responsibility for what happened to William,” Speelmon said.

According to the claim, the senior driving the Porsche planned to ask a girl to a dance. It says he asked the school resource officer to pretend to pull him over for running a stop sign and then reveal a poster. But that did not go according to plan.

In body camera video shared by Speelmon, the student’s damaged Porsche can be seen with its airbags deployed. That’s when you can hear the student say, “I was supposed to go through the stop sign. That was the thing, like.”

The school resource officer responded by saying they will talk about that later and since the crash happened on private property, the student won’t be getting a ticket.

“We were just mind blown,” said Mayci Vannasap, the victim’s sister. “I just think it was irresponsible on all parts.”

The student claims the officer and school administration were in on the plan. The officer said he didn’t know the student wanted to blow the stop sign at a high rate of speed, and as the driver, he had the responsibility to maintain safety in the incident.

In a police report, the school resource officer said the plan was for the student to slow-roll the stop sign, but the document states they were driving around 40 mph.

William Vannasap’s family said his injuries were the only consequences that came from the crash.

“I don’t believe they have the capacity to efficiently supervise children on campus if they’re going to be pulling stunts like that,” his sister said.

William Vannasap is now attending Arizona State University but is struggling, his lawyer says.

“He tells me that it’s hard for him to study. He can’t focus the way he used to. Things are just really different for him, and it’s really scary. He’s suffered a lot of anxiety because of what he’s gone through,” Speelmon said. “And he says, that for him, it makes him feel so ashamed that he’s not functioning the way he used to.”

Speelmon said the city and the school district have 60 days to respond to the claim. If they don’t, she plans to file a lawsuit before the end of the month.

She’s also working on a claim against the student driver.

KPHO reached out to both the city and school district and were told they cannot comment at this time.

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