MANCHESTER, Iowa (KCRG) - The Iowa Supreme Court has upheld a $4.25 million lawsuit against the city of Manchester stemming from a fatal police chase in 2020 .
The city was sued after 31-year-old Augustin Mormann, of Colesburg, died following a high-speed motorcycle chase in December 2020.
Investigators said Mormann was speeding on a suspended license and reached speeds exceeding 100 mph.
The Iowa State Patrol and Delaware County Sheriff’s Office disengaged from the pursuit, but former Manchester Police officer James Wessels restarted the chase and crashed into Mormann.
Mormann died a little more than a month later in January 2021.
Lawyers argued the officer had qualified immunity, but the court ruled Wessels violated department policy and did not have justification for using deadly

KCRG Iowa

Reuters US Domestic
Associated Press US News
USA TODAY National
Raw Story
AlterNet