Idaho State Police killed a man on I-84. His wife just filed a wrongful death complaint
The wife of a Washington state man who was shot and killed by state troopers on Interstate 84 has filed a complaint against the Idaho State Police for the “wrongful death of her husband.”
The seven-page tort claim, asking for at least $500,000 in damages, alleged that the troopers’ “unjustified” shooting was “negligent” and violated Daniel Ryan’s constitutional rights. The Idaho Statesman obtained the tort claim through a public records request.
Boise-based attorney Grady Hepworth filed the complaint on behalf of Ryan’s wife, Emily Ryan.
In the early hours of Sept. 9, Ryan was driving from Idaho back home to Walla Walla, Washington, on Interstate 84 when an ISP trooper in Jerome County saw Ryan’s Honda Accord traveling at a “high rate of speed,” according to Idaho State Police and the complaint.
Another trooper attempted to pull Ryan over, but police said at the time that he didn’t stop, causing both troopers to pursue his vehicle toward Boise. Police said Ryan was speeding and driving “recklessly.”
Roughly 70 miles later, now in Elmore County, troopers eventually deployed spike strips to stop Ryan’s vehicle after several failed attempts, according to a news release.
It’s unclear exactly what happened next. The initial — and only – news release from Idaho State Police doesn’t say whether Ryan threatened police, but said troopers gave Ryan “verbal commands,” and then during the arrest “shots were fired.”
This was something that Hepworth pointed out in the complaint, arguing that the news release “does not indicate” that Ryan failed to follow the troopers’ commands. The complaint also said that even if Ryan ignored some commands, that doesn’t justify lethal force.
Hepworth questioned why police would use deadly force, saying that Ryan wasn’t carrying a firearm and that his vehicle had been stopped, so he “therefore posed no imminent or foreseeable danger,” according to the complaint.
He added that based on the minimal information publicized by Idaho State Police, there weren’t any other “exigent circumstances” to indicate that lethal force was needed.
“The law is clearly established that use of deadly force against a non-threatening suspect is unreasonable,” Hepworth wrote.
In a December email, ISP spokesperson Aaron Snell told the Statesman that Ryan was “armed with a knife” and that two troopers fired their guns. He declined to say whether Ryan threatened or charged at the troopers, or what caused them to fire their weapons, adding that the finalized investigation would answer those questions.
The Elmore County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the shooting. Snell said that the outside prosecutor’s office is waiting for additional test results before deciding whether to pursue charges.
“There is no known timeline,” he added.
Typically, law enforcement agencies in Idaho don’t release much information about a police shooting — such as body-camera footage or investigative reports — until a months-long investigation is completed.
Hepworth also has filed a lawsuit against state police petitioning for access to public records related to Ryan’s death, saying the family has been denied access to the investigative files and videos related to the shooting.
“Almost nothing is known by Ms. Ryan or the public regarding the circumstances that resulted in Emily Ryan’s husband, Daniel Ryan, being shot and killed by Idaho State Police,” he wrote in the complaint.
Ryan provided ‘joy to others through his music’
For Ryan’s family, the 34-year-old was remembered as a veteran who brought the community together with his music, according to his obituary.
Ryan was a medically disabled Army veteran who served in Bravo Company 2-58 Infantry Regiment. He worked as a paralegal specialist after becoming disabled and was honorably discharged in 2012.
In 2015, he moved back to Walla Walla, where he’d spent part of his childhood, and his obituary stated that his wife was the “love of his life.” The Ryans were together for nearly 10 years.
Ryan played music from a young age and was someone who could play any instrument he picked up, according to his obit. He had his own band, called Shanks Pony.
“It was important to Daniel to bring community together and provide joy to others through his music,” the obituary said.
This story was originally published December 23, 2024 at 1:34 PM.
