Elizabethtown Jury Awards $1.4M in Trooper Negligence Case

On January 4, 2017, in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, a Kentucky State Police trooper was responding to a domestic violence call. Driving a police vehicle with active blue lights but a non-functional siren, the trooper entered the intersection of Rogersville Road and Joe Prather Highway against a red light at approximately 80 mph. A civilian driver, proceeding through the intersection on a green light, broadsided the police vehicle. The collision resulted in the civilian driver sustaining a shattered tibial plateau, which required surgery and led to significant medical expenses and lost wages. The civilian driver subsequently filed a lawsuit against the Kentucky State Police, alleging negligence by the trooper.

The plaintiff contended the trooper acted negligently by speeding and entering a controlled intersection without an operational siren, arguing the circumstances did not justify disregarding established police procedures. Testimony from a KSP detective, an accident reconstructionist, and a KSP superior officer supported the plaintiff's claim that the trooper's actions violated policy. The plaintiff also sought punitive damages, alleging the conduct was reckless. The defendant argued the trooper faced competing duties—responding to an emergency versus ensuring an operational siren—and acted reasonably. The defense also asserted the plaintiff failed to maintain a proper lookout and should have yielded to the police vehicle's flashing blue lights.

After a multi-day trial in Elizabethtown, a jury returned a unanimous verdict, finding the trooper solely at fault for the collision. The jury awarded the plaintiff $166,751 for medical expenses, future care, and lost wages, an additional $300,000 for pain and suffering, and $1,000,000 in punitive damages. The total verdict amounted to $1,466,751.