Larimer County agrees to pay $5 million to family of man killed on I-25

Larimer County has agreed to pay $5 million to the family of a man who was struck by a vehicle after a deputy used a Taser on him and he fell onto Interstate 25.

An attorney for the family of Brent Thompson, in a release, confirmed the settlement in what they described as “the reckless and unconstitutional killing of their son” — described as full of life and as someone who lit up a room upon entering.

Larimer County announced the settlement on Friday, saying the decision was made “after careful consideration and largely guided by the direction of the insurers involved.” The release did not address fault and offered “thoughts” to all who were affected.

“This settlement reflects the immense wrong committed by the Larimer County … deputy and sends a message that law enforcement’s reckless disregard for human life will not be tolerated,” according to a released statement from the family’s attorney, Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC in Denver. “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 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.

“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.”

Thompson’s mom, Karen Thompson, filed a civil case on April 16 in 8th Judicial District Court regarding the  Feb. 18, 2023, death of her 28-year-old son.

Deputy Lorenzo Lujan pulled Thompson over near I-25 north of Fort Collins for driving with an expired license plate, and Thompson gave him a false name. When the deputy told Thompson that he was going to arrest him, the 28-year-old man ran toward the interstate.

It was dark, and Thompson reportedly jumped over a guardrail and continued running; he fell onto I-25 after being hit by a Taser and was struck by a vehicle driving on the highway.

Thompson was rushed to Medical Center of the Rockies, where he died. The coroner’s office reported the man had a blood-alcohol content level of 0.012 and elevated fentanyl levels at the time of his death that indicated “significant impairment.”

The 8th Judicial District Attorney’s Critical Incident Response team was called to investigate the death. And in July 2023, the 8th Judicial District Attorney’s Office announced it would not be filing charges against Lujan because there was “no reasonable likelihood of success in proving unanimously and beyond a reasonable doubt” that the deputy was criminally culpable in the death. The sheriff’s office also released body-worn camera footage of the incident just days after the decision on charges was announced.

At that time, the law firm retained by the family released a statement that called the decision a “travesty of justice.” The statement, in part, said: “As unconscionable as it is locking a person in a police car on railroad tracks, it is even more unconscionable to tase someone on the interstate at night. Tasing a person on the interstate is a death sentence.”

However, the release from Larimer County announcing the settlement stated that the deputy fired the Taser “to prevent (Thompson) from running onto the interstate.” But instead he was “incapacitated in the roadway,” where he was struck by a vehicle, the release states.

The release did not include the settlement paperwork but a county spokesperson said the settlement does not address fault at all. The county’s insurance will cover the majority of the $5 million in settlement funds, according to the release.

By settling the case, county leadership and the sheriff’s office can “continue focusing on our primary mission: serving the residents of Larimer County and ensuring the safety of our community,” the release states.

The commissioners, in the release, acknowledged that the settlement will not undo the loss felt by Thompson’s family.

“We recognize the profound impact this incident has had on everyone involved,” according to a statement in the release. “While this marks the conclusion of the legal process, the Board’s thoughts remain with all affected by this case.”

Thompson’s family stressed, in the statement released Friday, how greatly they feel his loss.

“Brent’s family remembers him as the person who instantly lit up the room when he walked in,” according to the release. “Brent was full of life, active, and outgoing. He made friends everywhere he went and was always willing to lend a helping hand to those who needed it.”

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