Another lawsuit has been filed against the Highway Patrol in connection with the 2014 drowning of Brandon Ellingson. According to court documents, retired Highway Patrol Sergeant Randy Henry has filed a federal lawsuit claiming the Patrol constructively discharged him after he exercised his 1st amendment rights. The retired Sergeant who spent 30 years working in the Lake Area with both Water Patrol and then the Highway Patrol following the merger, claims he was moved out of the Lake Area and taken out of all supervising positions after he spoke up about the Ellingson case. He claims Trooper Anthony Piercy, who is currently facing a wrongful death suit for his alleged part in Ellingson’s death, told him Ellingson was standing in the boat before he fell out and that he knew the boat camera memory card was missing. He says that because he spoke up about this, as well as number of other issues with the Highway Patrol and the Water Patrol merger, he was transferred and systematically forced out of the Patrol.
