on November 23 2021 officer Matthew
Knutson conducted a traffic stop on a
vehicle after it failed to give way to
another motorist in Green Bay Wisconsin
the driver later identified as
47-year-old Robert Sanchez allegedly
pulled out into an intersection and
nearly caused an accident as Robert
observed officer Knutson turn around he
quickly pulled into a driveway and fled
on foot
get back
Courtney's room
male Hispanic blue shirt another officer
nearby ordered him to stop but he was
non-compliant and continued fleeing yeah
yeah sir get on the ground
get on the ground
not listening to my crayons he's on
Manitowoc buy a house
sir get on the ground
get on the ground he's just walking
around in the yard won't listen to my
commands has his hands in his pockets
sir take your hands out of your pockets
get your hands out of your pockets
where's my next unit I need one here in
Manitowoc and Vader
sir get you
run yourself on beta again
get on the ground
keep pushing those pockets
get on the ground sir
right Imperial despite being commanded
to show his hands several times he
refused and the officer deployed her
taser however it had no effect
as Robert kept running officer Knutson
drove his squad car over the curb and
hit Robert with it forcing him to the
ground
get on the ground
foreign
behind your back put your arms around
your back
slow down yep
I had nobody I can't breathe reaching
all right
what's your name
why'd you run
let's go
I'm scared of what
gosh
got your breath you're not injured okay
push you to the ground you're not
injured
catch your breath
what's your name Robert
Sanchez almost 11 months later the Brown
County District Attorney's Office
contacted the Green Bay Police
Department regarding officer knutson's
actions that night the body Cam and
squad car video of the incident were
immediately reviewed alongside officer
knutson's police report while examining
the report it revealed inconsistencies
in his explanation of how his squad car
came into contact with Robert during the
pursuit
following the assessment of the footage
officer Knutson was placed on paid
administrative leave and the Green Bay
Police Chief requested an investigation
to be conducted by the Sheriff's Office
approximately six months passed and the
DA's office officially filed a criminal
complaint against officer Knutson the
police chief made a public statement
saying we take all allegations of
misconduct by Green Bay Police Officers
seriously I will not tolerate excessive
force ethical violations or criminal
activity by gbpd members in officer
knutson's report he stated I started to
pull my vehicle up on the western side
of the driveway in order to get my
vehicle out of the roadway due to the
other vehicles already on the road the
criminal complaint emphasized that
statement saying you will find in his
report that he describes him hitting
Robert with his squad car at the last
second and other vehicles being in the
road the squad camera tells a different
story there is no other vehicle in the
roadway in front of officer knutson's
right to left and headed towards the
driveway the district attorney further
explained there was no need for officer
Knutson to drive on the grass as there
was no other vehicle in the driveway at
that time additionally he mentioned the
officers on scene seemed to be amused by
Robert's situation he mentioned the time
stamp of the occurrence saying after
placing Robert in the rear of the squad
car Knutson can be seen mimicking Robert
hobbling after being struck to the
laughter of the other officers on scene
it was also discovered that the use of
force sheets submitted by Knutson did
not mention him striking Robert with his
squad car the district attorney said
Knutson gave a further indication that
he meant to imply he had struck Robert
accidentally
without the use of four sheet and some
of the video recordings being disclosed
it is hard to determine how reliable
these statements are however this wasn't
the first time officer Knutson was
investigated for his conduct in 2018
officer Knutson was one of nine other
officers that were suspended because of
a harassment investigation a report of
the internal investigation stated there
was a pattern of harassment by a small
group of Night Shift officers
some officers who were interviewed
during the investigation describe the
night shift atmosphere like a frat house
the report further showed a female
officer was the victim of hazing and
harassment she reportedly was so
stressed out that she had to take off
work to avoid harassment officer Matthew
Knutson the 13-year veteran of the Green
Bay Police Department was charged with
felony misconduct in public office
in misdemeanor negligent operation of a
vehicle Robert was charged with
misdemeanor counts of resisting
obstructing an officer and operating
while revoked
on the prosecutor's motion both charges
were dismissed shortly before the DA's
office informed the police department of
Officer knutson's conduct
at this time knutson's investigation is
still underway
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