Bill would provide benefit to peace officers injured or killed in line of duty

Montana State Attorney General Austin Knudsen said Sunday his office plans on prosecuting Jason A. Miller, 41, to the fullest extent of the law.

Miller allegedly ran over trooper Lewis Johnson as Johnson and deputies from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office attempted to arrest Miller on Camp 32 Road Feb. 16.

Johnson suffered severe injuries in the crash. Miller has been charged with attempted deliberate homicide as well as other charges in the incident.

Knudsen said there was no timetable for the investigation — his office won’t rush it.

He said they wanted to have a “solid case to hand off to prosecutors,” and it would be “100% by the book.”

He added that there would be no “weak kneed plea bargain,” in the matter.

Knudsen made the comments Sunday after a press conference with reporters after a rally for Johnson at Logan Health Medical Center in Kalispell Sunday.

Meanwhile, Montana Sen. Barry Usher said he has introduced Senate Bill 294 that would create a trust to pay families of law enforcement officers who have suffered a catastrophic injury or death in the line of duty.

The law would provide families with a minimum monthly payment of $8,000 for five years.

Usher said the trust would initially have $20 to $25 million and the interest payments would fund it, though the bill also allows people to contribute to the fund.

The bill also has provisions to require insurance companies to continue to provide coverage to families in the event of a death or catastrophic injury, though after four months, families would be required to pay the premium.

Usher said families of killed officers have lost health insurance entirely. The state currently has no mechanism to support families of injured or killed law enforcement officers, Usher said.

The bill also sets up a board to oversee the trust. It is retroactive to July 2013.