Mark Bromenschenkel, a former Sartell police officer, has been found not guilty of causing injuries to a man during a chase several years ago.
The not-guilty verdict was handed down by a Hennepin County jury Aug. 28.
The jury decided Bromenschenkel was not negligent and had not violated the Sartell Police Department’s chase policy at the time the man suffered injuries. In fact, the jury determined the injured man, Brian Manion, was negligent in driving his vehicle and that he is the one who caused his own injuries by driving through a red light where another vehicle collided with his.
Several years ago, when the accident occurred, Bromenschenkel, who was then a Sartell police officer, had come to Manion’s house to serve papers that the vehicle would be confiscated because of its involvement in a drug sale.
Manion claimed he had agreed to sell the vehicle and let the potential buyer use it to test-drive it. In the meantime, the driver was arrested during a drug investigation. Manion claimed he knew nothing of any drug connection at the time he let the man test-drive his car.
Manion said when Bromenschenkel, who was in civilian clothes, appeared at his home, he became scared that someone was going to harm him, and he drove away, going through the red light.
Bromenschenkel was elected as a Stearns County commissioner two years ago and still serves on the county board in that capacity.
