Boise police officer ran a red light, totaled another vehicle, driver says in lawsuit
A woman is suing the Boise Police Department and one of its officers after she was injured in a collision she says was caused by an officer running a red light.
The civil complaint, filed Tuesday, alleges Boise Police Officer Tyler Gould pulled out of a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints parking lot on Maple Grove Road in his patrol car at about 4:20 p.m. on Feb. 23, 2023.
Gould headed east on West Northview Street toward Maple Grove and ran a red traffic light, driving through the intersection without stopping, according to the complaint.
In the intersection, Gould collided with a Jeep driven by Boise resident Charlene Gammel, who had a green light, the complaint said.
Gammel’s Jeep was totaled, and she suffered “immediate pain and physical injuries,” the complaint said.
In accordance with Boise police policy, the Ada County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation, and deputies determined that Gould was at fault for the collision, the complaint said.
“In our opinion, the officer wasn’t paying attention, and just pulled out in front of my client as she was driving down the road and caused a crash,” Joseph Miller, Gammel’s attorney, told the Statesman by phone.
The police department declined to answer the Statesman’s questions about the incident.
Gammel is seeking monetary compensation for “physical injuries, pain and suffering, permanent disfigurement, anguish and grief caused by the physical injuries and temporary and permanent limitations on her activities resulting therefrom, present and future medical expenses, property damage, lost wages, loss of the joys and pleasures of life” that were caused by the collision, the complaint said.
The complaint said Gammel’s emotional distress following the incident included “a racing heart, chest pains, shakiness, difficulty driving, loss of sleep, loss of appetite, shortness of breath, stomach pain, and nausea.”
Miller declined to provide details to the Statesman about Gammel’s physical injuries.
Gammel’s lawsuit said Gould and the police department were guilty of four counts of negligence.
“We’re not alleging that the officer did anything intentional,” Miller said. “This is purely a case of accident, negligence, not paying attention at all.”
Gammel is additionally suing the Boise Police Department as Gould’s employer, saying it failed to train and supervise an employee. The suit cited the legal doctrine of respondeat superior, which says an employer is legally responsible for the wrongful acts of an employee if the acts occur within their scope of employment, according to Cornell Law’s Legal Information Institute.
“Defendant Boise Police Department bears responsibility for Defendant Gould’s negligence under the doctrine of respondeat superior and is therefore vicariously liable for Plaintiff’s injuries and damages,” the complaint said.
Gammel is seeking an Ada County jury trial in the Fourth District Court to obtain repayment for monetary damages. The district court handles civil cases involving more than $10,000.
Miller declined to specify the amount for which Gammel is suing.
This story was originally published February 13, 2025 at 4:00 AM.
