LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. — Attorneys for the family of a man who died after he was hit with a Taser and fell onto Interstate 25 where he was struck by a car said Friday they've filed a lawsuit against Larimer County for $5 million.
The wrongful death lawsuit was filed in April by the family of Brent Thompson, who was hit with a Taser deployed by a Larimer County sheriff's deputy in the middle of I-25. He was then struck by a vehicle.
Body camera footage of the Feb. 18, 2023 encounter was released last year.
Thompson, 28, is seen on video interacting with Deputy Lorenzo Lujan, who had pulled him over for an expired license plate.
In the video, Thompson began to run away from the traffic stop and into the middle of I-25. Lujan deployed his Taser on Thompson, who collapsed in the middle of the highway. Seconds later, the driver of a vehicle hit Thompson, killing him.
> Content warning: The raw body camera video below shows a deputy using his Taser on a man who is then hit by an SUV.
Lujan was cleared of wrongdoing, according to a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office.
“The internal investigation determined the deputy’s actions during this situation, including the use of a Taser, were within agency policy. No disciplinary action was taken,” a spokesperson for the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office said in an email.
Lujan continues to work as a deputy for Larimer County.
“Every incident provides an opportunity to reflect and grow as an agency, and this incident is no exception. We have used this as a case study for internal discussions about complex decision-making, dynamic situations, safety priorities, and the consequences of action or inaction,” public information officer Kate Kimble said in an email.
On Tuesday, the Board of Commissioners for Larimer County voted to approve an agreement that will eventually dismiss the case.
A spokeswoman for Larimer County would not yet disclose the amount of the settlement, however, attorneys for the family said it was $5 million.
"The Thompson family hopes that this case will lead to improved training and policies within the Larimer County Sheriff's Office and other agencies to prevent similar tragedies in the future," the law firm representing the Thompson family said in a statement about the settlement. "But no amount of money will bring Brent back to his family, and his death has left a huge void in the lives of his family and friends."
"His life was ended way too soon. Our hearts are shattered and the sadness is unbearable," Karen Thompson, Brent's mother, said on Friday before news cameras.
“No amount of money brings a loved one back. None. Justice was not served. Money is not the answer," said Brent's grandmother.
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