State Farm sues over shooting
An insurance company filed a lawsuit Thursday against two Las Vegas police officers and a 1990 shooting victim, claiming the company has no obligation to defend the victim in a civil case brought by the officers or to pay damages awarded to the officers.
State Farm Fire & Casualty Co. of Illinois filed the complaint in District Court against Dennis Jaeger and officers Janet Beck and Dennis McGinnis.
Beck shot Jaeger twice during a confrontation on April 15, 1990, in the man’s back yard. Beck claimed she shot Jaeger after he fired two shots at her, but Jaeger claimed the officer fired first and that he thought she was an intruder.
A jury acquitted Jaeger in August 1993 of attempted murder.
The two officers filed a lawsuit in April 1992 against Jaeger in District Court. The complaint accused the man of assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Beck claimed she was injured by bullet fragments and pieces of cement when Jaeger’s shots struck a cinder block planter she was hiding behind. McGinnis claimed Jaeger punched him as he tried to arrest the suspect.
In the State Farm complaint, the company said Jaeger’s homeowner policy provided personal liability coverage with $100,000 limits per occurrence and medical coverage with $1,000 limits per person.
The lawsuit alleges that the officers’ injuries are excluded from coverage under the policy, which did not apply to bodily injury or property damage that "is either expected or intended by insured."
Las Vegas police responded to the Jaeger residence at 1672 Gabriel Drive in 1990 after Brenda Jaeger reported her husband had locked her out of the house following an argument.
Beck testified that another officer knocked several times on the front door and announced his presence through a broken window before Beck went to the back yard to knock on another door.
Jaeger testified that he had been sleeping and woke up only after he heard dogs barking.
Attorney Leslie Stovall, who filed the civil lawsuit for the officers, declined to comment Thursday. Jaeger also sued the officers after the shooting, but he could not be reached Thursday.
