KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The mother of a Knoxville man killed last year when a speeding Knoxville Police Department officer slammed into him in the middle of the night has reached a legal settlement.
Mauricio Luna’s mother sued the city and now former officer Cody Klingmann in Knox County Circuit Court for $3 million. She’s agreed to resolve the lawsuit now for $300,000, the most she could have gotten under state law.
The settlement resolves the action against both the city and Klingmann, who was on duty and answering a call at the time of the crash.
Attorney T. Scott Jones told 10News no amount of money could bring Luna back.
But he said the family hopes police have gotten the message that all officers have a duty to use care and act responsibly while doing their jobs.
Officer Cody Klingmann – without his emergency equipment running -- crashed into Luna early Aug. 13, 2021, while driving more than 80 miles an hour on Kingston Pike.
Luna was at Cheshire Drive near Olive Garden attempting to turn onto Kingston Pike when Klingmann plowed into his Honda on the driver's side. Luna and his dog died in the crash.
Klingmann quit the department in June.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol investigated the crash.
In filing the lawsuit, Claudia Macias alleged Klingmann failed to use proper care while driving, was speeding and should have been using his emergency equipment.
The Knox County District Attorney General's Office reviewed the wreck and determined criminal charges weren't merited; it didn't opine about potential civil liability.
Klingmann was the subject of a KPD Internals Affair investigation into the fatal crash. He was immediately reassigned from patrol after the crash and had remained on reassignment until his resignation in June, according to KPD.
