Matthew Knutson appears in Brown County court, October 17, 2023. PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A plea deal is “extremely likely” for a Green Bay police officer accused of striking a fleeing suspect with his squad car and then not properly reporting the incident.
Matthew Knutson, 41, 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.
While a Nov. 1 trial is planned, defense attorney Christopher MacGillis said in court Tuesday he was confident the case would be resolved before that. An Oct. 30 hearing is scheduled.
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.
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