The family of a 28-year-old man who died after he was shocked with a Taser by a Larimer County Sheriff’s deputy on Interstate 25 and then run over by a SUV near Fort Collins will receive $5 million in a settlement reached with the county.
The family of Brent Thompson, 28, sued the county after Thompson was hit by a Ford Explorer traveling about 70 mph after a traffic stop in February 2023.
Thompson ran from a sheriff’s deputy after he was stopped for expired plates at an off-ramp near the Budweiser plant north of Fort Collins and gave a fake name, before running toward the interstate.
“This settlement reflects the immense wrong committed by the Larimer County Sheriff deputy and sends a message that law enforcement’s reckless disregard for human life will not be tolerated,” the family’s attorneys, Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC, said in a statement announcing the settlement Friday morning.
“Any reasonable person, let alone a trained law enforcement officer, should have known that tasing someone on I-25 in the dark of night posed an extreme risk of death or serious injury,” the firm said.
In a statement Friday, Larimer County Sheriff John Feyen acknowledged the split-second decision-making by deputies, adding that Thompson’s death will serve as an opportunity for the agency to grow and reflect.
“Losing a loved one is heartbreaking, regardless of the circumstances, and I’m truly saddened by the loss the Thompson family has experienced. Every incident provides an opportunity to reflect and grow as an agency, and the events of February 18, 2023, are no exception,” Feyen said. “Deputies are routinely faced with making split-second decisions in rapidly changing environments. We will continue to use this incident as a case study for internal discussions about complex decision-making, dynamic situations, safety priorities, and the consequences of action or inaction.”
Body camera footage showed headlights of a SUV traveling on I-25 in plain sight as Larimer County Sheriff’s deputy Lorenzo Lujan fired a Taser at Thompson. Five seconds after shocking Thompson, Lujan is heard saying “shit, shit,” before the driver of the SUV honks and hits Thompson, who was lying on his back.
Following a review of Thompson’s death, the Larimer County District Attorney’s Office found that Lujan used “poor, and ultimately tragic, judgment” when he decided to tase Thompson as he crossed into the lanes of I-25. But the split-second decisions were not made with “evil intent,” District Attorney Gordon McLaughlin wrote in a July 2023 letter.
Lujan told investigators that he feared that Thompson might cause a collision, in explaining why he decided to tase him, and said it was only after he pulled the trigger on the device that he saw a vehicle “closer than expected.”
Lujan did not face criminal charges in Thompson’s death and an internal review of Lujan’s actions found that he did not violate the sheriff’s office’s policies.
The majority of the settlement will be paid through insurers, a spokesperson from Larimer County said.
“This resolution allows County leadership and the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office to continue focusing on our primary mission: serving the residents of Larimer County and ensuring the safety of our community,” the county said in a statement. “The Board of County Commissioners acknowledges that this settlement cannot undo the loss experienced by Mr. Thompson’s family and loved ones.”
During a press conference Friday, Thompson’s sister said she doesn’t feel Lujan was held accountable for his conduct and hopes the settlement brings attention to officers in the community where she and her brother were raised and where she and her family continue to reside.
The settlement “doesn’t fix what is gone,” Adrianne Thompson said.
“There was no justice that was served in my son’s case,” David Thompson, Brent’s father added.
“I’m scared that it will happen again.”