West metro briefs: Federal lawsuit over fatal Chaska police shooting goes to trial in July

A federal lawsuit filed against a Chaska police officer over a 2014 fatal shooting is headed to trial July 3.

Dawn Pfister, 34, of Elkhorn, Wis., and her boyfriend, Matthew Serbus, 36, of Brooklyn Center, were shot and killed on Hwy. 212 in Eden Prairie after leading police on a chase in a stolen car. Serbus got out of the car with a 3-inch knife and was shot after repeated commands from officers to drop the knife. Chaska officer Brady Juell then shot Pfister when she picked up the knife.

Police and her family disagree over whether Pfister posed a threat and Juell used reasonable force in shooting her. A grand jury later declined to indict Juell as well as the officers who shot Serbus — Chaska officer Trent Wurtz, State Patrol trooper Mark Lund and Carver County Sheriff's Cpl. Nathan Mueller.

In 2015, Pfister's family sued Juell, accusing him of improperly using deadly force, and the city of Chaska for failing to properly train officers and discipline Juell; they were seeking more than $5 million. After the family dropped its claims against the city in January, U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson last month denied Juell's motion for summary judgment on grounds that qualified immunity shielded him from the suit.

In February, Chaska police awarded Juell a distinguished service medal, citing his work in leading use of force training.

KELLY SMITH

Four Richfield residents are running for the City Council seat left open by Pat Elliott's election as mayor last month.

The special election to fill the vacant seat will be held May 23. Absentee voting can be done at the Richfield Municipal Center Information Desk beginning Monday. Direct balloting begins May 16 and runs through May 22.

Elliott was chosen mayor in a special election held last month. The winner will represent the western section of the city and serve the remainder of Elliott's term, through 2020.

Miguel Otárola

The Hennepin County Board on Tuesday approved an agreement with Ramsey County to do needed repairs and upgrades this summer on the Lake Street-Marshall Avenue Bridge linking Minneapolis and St. Paul.

The $1.4 million project, the cost of which will be split between the counties, will include replacing the bridge's expansion joints, repairing its limestone veneer and the plaza areas, sealing the concrete deck and installing inspection safety equipment. The counties also will split engineering costs of $370,000.

The bridge, a concrete open arch spanning about 555 feet long, was opened in 1992 and replaced an aging span. An estimated 19,000 vehicles cross it each day, coming and going from Minneapolis' Longfellow neighborhood and St. Paul's Merriam Park.

Kevin Duchschere

An Eden Prairie museum will sponsor a presentation next weekend by Brigadier Gen. Steve Ritchie, a highly decorated ace pilot who compiled a distinguished record during the Vietnam War.

Ritchie will speak at noon on Saturday and take questions at the Wings of the North Air Museum at Flying Cloud Airport, 10110 Flying Cloud Drive. The event is open to the public and there is a $10 per person suggested donation to the museum.

Ritchie scored five aerial victories over North Vietnam in 1972 while he was flying F-4 Phantom II fighter jets in the U.S. Air Force. The museum, which opened more than a year ago, showcases war and aviation artifacts year-round. It's open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday. For more details, go to wotn.org.

Maple Grove is hosting two open houses for residents to give feedback on the city's 2018 comprehensive plan, especially regarding land use in the city's gravel mining area and its northwest and southwest areas.

The open house sessions will be held from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on April 26 and May 9 in the lobby of the Maple Grove Government Center, 12800 Arbor Lakes Pkwy. N.

The city, which redeveloped hundreds of acres of gravel pits and mounds into the Arbor Lakes shopping area, is now planning to redevelop 600 of 1,100 acres of gravel mining land east of Hemlock Lane and between Interstate 94 and Hwy. 169.

It's the largest undeveloped area in the city and one of the largest graveling-mining areas in the Twin Cities.