Utah Jury Rules Sheriff’s Sergeant was Justified in Shooting Woman After Chase
A Utah jury has rejected a claim in a lawsuit that a Morgan County Sheriff’s sergeant used excessive force when he shot a woman in the left eye at the end of a 2012 police chase.
A Utah jury has rejected a claim in a lawsuit that a Morgan County Sheriff’s sergeant used excessive force when he shot a woman in the left eye at the end of a 2012 police chase.
After deliberating for about an hour at the conclusion of a five-day trial in Farmington’s 2nd District Court, jurors returned a unanimous verdict on Oct. 27 that found Sgt. Daniel Peay did not violate the constitutional rights of Kristine Biggs Johnson.
Johnson — who was a Colorado resident at the time of the shooting and now lives in California — was drunk on Nov. 24, 2012, and would not pull over when a Morgan County sheriff’s deputy tried to stop her for having a broken headlight, according to court records. She fled, setting off a 40-mile chase into Davis County and at times driving up to 90 mph on Interstate 84.
The 30-minute chase continued even after Johnson — who drove over spikes set up by officers that ripped off three tires on her pickup truck — ended on a road near South Weber. Blocked in by police vehicles, Johnson made a U-turn and struck two cruisers, according to court records.
Dashcam video shows Daniel Peay getting out of his cruiser and approaching Johnson’s truck as she tries to back out of the cluster of cars. Then, as the truck pulls forward a few yards and hits one of the cruisers, Peay fires a single shot through the pickup’s windshield.
Sergeant Peay’s attorney Julia Kyte told the Salt Lake City Tribune Peay had three seconds to make his decision to fire and pulled the trigger because Johnson was driving toward Christian Peay and the sergeant believed his brother was in imminent danger of being run over, pinned or crushed.
More Point of Law

Point of Law: The Limits of Electronic Searches
Can an individual be prosecuted for despicable criminal conduct based on evidence obtained in violation of the United States Constitution? Ultimately, the Ninth Circuit judges wrote, “In the circumstances of this case (United States v. Holcomb, 23-469 (9th Cir. 2025)), respect for the Constitution and the rule of law requires an answer of “no.”
Read More →Trump Issues Order Cutting Federal Funding in Cashless Bail Jurisdictions
<strong>“</strong>Cashless bail policies allow dangerous individuals to immediately return to the streets and further endanger law-abiding, hard-working Americans because they know our laws will not be enforced,” the administration said.
Read More →Justice Department Sues Los Angeles Over Sanctuary Policies
The DOJ said in a press release that the “sanctuary city” policies of the City of Los Angeles are illegal under federal law.
Read More →
Understanding Officer-Created Jeopardy
Officers can be criminally prosecuted for using force when their actions led to escalation during contact with subjects.
Read More →
Point of Law: The Limitations of Search Warrants
In the Tenth Circuit case of Cuervo v. Sorenson, the Court ruled officers cannot deviate from the language of the warrant.
Read More →DOJ Dismisses Consent Decrees Affecting Louisville and Minneapolis Police
The Civil Rights Division will be taking all necessary steps to dismiss the Louisville and Minneapolis lawsuits with prejudice, to close the underlying investigations into the Louisville and Minneapolis police departments.
Read More →New Michigan Bill would Give Officers Civil Immunity in Self-Defense Cases
House Bill 4404 would create a presumption of civil immunity for individuals who are cleared criminally after using force in self-defense, shifting the burden of proof onto plaintiffs.
Read More →Seattle to Pay Police Captain $1 Million to Settle Lawsuit
Seattle police Capt. Eric Greening sued former Chief Adrian Diaz last year alleging that Diaz retaliated when Greening brought up concerns about racial and gender discrimination.
Read More →Washington Agencies Ordered to Not Delete Critical Facebook Contents
Jim Leighty, a local activist, filed two federal lawsuits last year claiming both agencies deleted or hid critical comments he had written below multiple posts, while keeping comments that were pro-police in nature.
Read More →Washington State Attorney General Sues Sheriff for Helping Immigration Enforcement
The lawsuit claims the Adams County Sheriff’s Office has illegally held people in custody based only on their immigration status, helped federal agents question people in custody, and given immigration officials confidential personal information.
Read More →