Imagine this situation. A tragic car collision injures Michael Sauers and kills his wife. The injuries and death result from the “criminally reckless driving of police officer Stephen Homanko,” but the police officer walks away from any civil liability for money damages to the family he killed and injured. How could such a thing happen?

On May 12, 2014, Sauers and his wife were driving on the road, minding their own business. Officer Homanko was on patrol, when he saw a yellow Dodge Neon commit a summary offense. The police officer chased down the driver at speeds of 100 miles per hour, even though the police officer called ahead to the jurisdiction in which the speeder was traveling so that the municipality into which the speeder was headed could stop the driver. During his pursuit, the police officer lost control of the police car while going around a curve. He crashed into the Sauers’ car, causing injuries and death.