Trooper Crashes Innocent Driver’s Toyota, State Refuses To Pay Claiming Immunity
The Minnesota officer didn’t even receive a citation after crashing into a Toyota RAV4
- A Minnesota trooper caused a crash but faces no ticket or consequences for the accident.
- In fact, the state claims the officer has immunity, leaving the victim with the repair bill.
- This incident is part of a troubling pattern of officers avoiding accountability for crashes.
Police should be the most trustworthy drivers on the road. After all, they’re the ones tasked with enforcing the rules, and occasionally, they’re given permission to break them in the name of duty, supposedly with the training to handle those situations safely.
But, as with everyone else, officers are only human after all – and humans make mistakes. For one Minnesota resident, though, those mistakes came with a steep price: his totaled car and mounting medical bills, with no one willing to take responsibility.
Read: 73-Year-Old Banned From Driving Until 2117 Arrested Again for Driving
Jamie Krueger was simply traveling down the road behind a Minnesota State Trooper. Then, the officer pulled off to the shoulder without activating their lights or sirens. As Krueger approached and began to pass, the trooper attempted a U-turn and hit the passenger side of Krueger’s Toyota Toyota RAV4. His daughter took the brunt of the blow.
The Law’s Immunity, But No Accountability
Both officers immediately admitted their fault. The accident report even clarified that the trooper who was driving performed an improper turn/merge. Despite that, the state says the officer is covered under immunity and so it won’t be making Krueger whole.
“I saw two cops get out of the car. I was like, ‘Oh my God, What is going on here?’” Krueger told KSTP. “I felt like the Twilight Zone is happening.”
While Kreuger and his daughter were ultimately okay after the crash, his SUV was written off as a total loss, and he’s out $1,000 for the deductible. What’s even wilder, perhaps, is that the trooper didn’t receive a citation of any sort.
“I’m not looking for a lottery ticket here. I’m looking for accountability. I’m looking for the right thing to be done,” Kreuger said.
Deja Vu in Cincinnati
Sadly, this isn’t even the first time we’ve covered such a situation this month. Earlier this year, Cincinnati police backed into an innocent motorist and then left him with the repair bill. Once again, officers there acknowledged they were at fault and then ultimately said they weren’t liable.
It’s disheartening, really, to see the very people and agencies that are supposed to uphold the law actively shirking their responsibility when it’s time for them to answer for their actions.
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