City agrees to pay $8.5 million in fatal crash involving APD officer
The city of Albuquerque will pay $8.5 million to settle a lawsuit filed on behalf of Ashley Browder, 21, killed in a 2013 crash caused by off-duty Albuquerque Police Sgt. Adam Casaus, who was speeding and ran a red light.
The settlement is believed to be the largest ever paid out by the city in a wrongful death/personal injury case, according to a statement released Friday afternoon by attorneys Brian K. Branch and Sean P. McAfee, who represent the Browder family.
The crash, which occurred about 1:30 a.m. on Feb. 10, 2013, at the intersection of Paseo del Norte and Eagle Ranch NW, also seriously injured Ashley’s sister, Lindsay Browder, 19.
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(Albuquerque Police Sgt. Adam) Casaus was in uniform and driving his city-issued police car on Paseo del Norte at the time of the crash, police said. An investigation found that he had driven 8.8 miles across town in less than eight minutes.
His emergency lights were on and his foot was on the accelerator when his westbound vehicle, traveling in excess of 60 mph, blew through the intersection, striking the Browder vehicle, which was northbound on Eagle Ranch and had a green light.
Casaus initially told investigators he had been chasing a vehicle he suspected of “dangerous driving” on Paseo del Norte; however, several eye witnesses to the crash said no other vehicle had preceded Casaus into the intersection.
... he was found guilty of careless driving and sentenced to ... 90 days in jail.