Montana highway patrol settles with Wyoming man over crash

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — The state of Montana has reached a $270,000 settlement with a Wyoming man who was forced into a ditch to avoid colliding with a state trooper who made an illegal U-turn. The settlement between Montana and plaintiff Mitch Burgess was filed in Lewis and County District Court. It comes after Judge Kathy Seeley ordered sanctions in the case when the highway patrol said it lost video footage of the crash that was later found. In August 2017, the trooper made a U-turn in front of Burgess’ fast-moving pick up truck, causing Burgess to swerve into a ditch. Burgess alleged he suffered a concussion and spinal injury.