GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A Green Bay police officer was ordered Wednesday to stand trial for allegedly striking a fleeing suspect with his squad car, then not accurately reporting the incident.
Matthew Knutson, 40, is charged with negligent operation of a vehicle and misconduct in office. The charges stemmed from an internal police department investigation into a November 2021 incident. Police said they didn’t know the suspect was hit with the vehicle until October 2022. Comparing body cam and dash cam video to Knutson’s official reports, police said their investigation uncovered problems with how Knutson’s patrol vehicle hit the suspect during a foot chase, forcing the suspect to the ground.
After testimony Wednesday at a preliminary hearing, Knutson was bound over for trial. An arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 21.
A motion by Knutson’s attorney to dismiss the charges was denied Wednesday by the court commissioner.
The charges filed against the suspect for the 2021 incident — resisting arrest and operating with a revoked license — were eventually dismissed as a part of a plea bargain which resulted in convictions in other cases, according to District Attorney David Lasee.
Knutson was previously suspended for 30 days in 2018 following an investigation into bullying and harassment within the police department.
