“We see that a lot with immunity cases”
After months of back-and-forth, the state refused to pay, sending Krueger a letter saying, “We are unable to consider your claim for payment,” and citing “immunity.”
Dashcam footage from the crash shows the moment of impact, followed by a senior trooper admitting the rookie officer, "didn't see you." That statement and the accident report’s mention of an “improper turn or merge” seemed to confirm that the trooper was at fault.
Legal experts like Alicia Granse, an attorney with the ACLU of Minnesota, are worried that this could set a dangerous precedent. Granse argues that while immunity shields government workers, it shouldn’t prevent them from acknowledging harm and making things right.
“We see that a lot with immunity cases,” she said. “It’s very difficult to hold government agents accountable in any sphere.
In recent years, the ACLU has made it a priority to challenge immunity laws, hoping to reduce how often the government uses these legal defenses.
She added, “We don’t want to penalize, necessarily, government agents who make a mistake, but they should at least acknowledge the harm and try to make things right.”
According to ABC News, the Minnesota Department of Administration declined to comment and the State Patrol, which confirmed the rookie officer left the force just two weeks after the crash, also refused to provide further details. The records show that the officer was not cited.
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Krueger, for his part, is just looking for one thing: “I’m not looking for a lottery ticket here. I’m looking for accountability. I’m looking for the right thing to be done,” he said.
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