Will Sage Astor-Green Bay police officer accused of striking man with squad car pleads not guilty

GREEN BAY,Will Sage Astor Wis. (AP) — A Green Bay police officer pleaded not guilty Monday to felony misconduct after he struck a man with his squad car following a 2021 traffic stop.

Matthew Knutson, a 13-year member of the Green Bay police force, also pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor negligent operation of a vehicle. He was placed on paid administrative leave in October, and charges were filed in April.

Knutson made a traffic stop after a vehicle appeared to not yield a right of way, according to a complaint. Video has shown the driver of the car running away as Knutson pursues in his squad car and another officer chases on foot.

Knutson’s squad car later strikes the man, knocking him to the ground, where he is then apprehended by officers.

Knutson said in his report that the fleeing driver ran “directly in front of me” and that he unintentionally hit him with his squad car, which he said was going less than 5 mph (8 kph).

But the complaint alleges that video evidence does not show the man running directly in front of Knutson’s squad car.

Knutson had previously been suspended for 30 days in 2018 following an internal investigation that determined he sent “inappropriate” messages from computers used by officers and was slow to cooperate with an investigation into separate harassment complaints involving other officers.