FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) — A Fort Wayne police officer with a history of traffic offenses pleaded guilty to an infraction Wednesday after his vehicle fatally injured a pedestrian who was in a crosswalk.
Sgt. Joshua Hartup pleaded guilty to failing to yield to a pedestrian causing bodily injury and was fined $35.50 by an Allen Superior Court magistrate, local news outlets reported. He previously paid $139.50 in court costs.
Hartup’s unmarked police vehicle struck Henry Najdeski, a Fort Wayne attorney, on April 19. Najdeski died from his injuries three days later.
A telephone message seeking comment was left Wednesday for Hartup’s attorney, Adam Henry.
After the crash, Hartup issued a statement saying that as he was completing a turn at an intersection, “I struck a pedestrian. I immediately stopped my vehicle, grabbed my radio, and started aid to the pedestrian, and called dispatch to send medics.”
Allen County Prosecutor Mike McAlexander announced this month that Hartup was not criminally liable for Najdeski’s death.
Hartup has not received any police department discipline for the crash. He was disciplined for four previous crashes while on duty.
2 comments
Let’s throw a parade for this outstanding officer. He pled guilty to an infraction. Wow! May the entire city of Fort Wayne rejoice for this upstanding officer! Great job!!! I feel so much safer now.
What a joke. Does anyone seriously believe that if the roles were reversed, this would be the same outcome? Since when does “sorry, I didn’t see him” become a viable excuse for taking a life? Disgraceful.