Wood County, Wisconsin is facing a lawsuit after one of the county’s squad cars collided with a Wisconsin Rapids resident’s scooter, causing the moped driver to sustain injuries.
Thirty-eight year-old Christopher Adams is suing the county, the Sheriff’s Department, the deputy, and their insurance companies after being struck by a squad car in October.
Adams’ attorney filed the lawsuit on Monday, April 23. The lawsuit requests compensation for pain, suffering, medical expenses, loss of income, and possible permanent disability. The monetary amount has not yet been specified.
The Nekoosa Police Department accident report describes Adams traveling east down Highway 23 South and stopping to wait for an opportunity to turn left onto Church Avenue at around 8:10 on the evening of October 6, 2011. The squad car behind Adams was driven by County Deputy Andrew L. Haldeman, who looked down at his phone thinking that Adams had already turned. It was at that time that the squad car hit the moped, the impact of the collision knocking Adams up onto the hood of the car. Adams fell onto the road from the hood of the squad car.
Admas was transported to Marshfield’s Ministry Saint Joseph’s Hospital, where his injuries were treated and he was later released.
The investigating officer from the Nekoosa Police Department found no record of a text message from the day of the crash, nor any phone calls at the time of the collision. The only calls made by the deputy driving the squad car were to inform authorities of what happened.
Deputy Haldeman was cited for inattentive driving.
The Madison car wreck lawyers of Hupy and Abraham express their hopes that this matter resolves itself fairly.