The mother of a Clearfield County man who died while being chased by Pennsylvania state troopers in April is suing one of the troopers whom she alleges forced her son’s vehicle off the highway and into a tree, causing his death.

Valerie Peoples has filed a civil rights lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Johnstown contending that — an as yet unnamed trooper — was in pursuit of her son, Matthew Chelgren, 38, of Grampian, because his vehicle did not bear a registration plate.

According to the lawsuit, the trooper used a Precision Immobilization Technique to turn Chelgren’s Toyota 4Runner to the side.

The vehicle left the highway and struck a tree.

The crash took place in the front yard of a residence at 1872 Harper Mine Road near Curwensville.

The lawsuit stated, “Mr. Chelgren died at the scene of the crash, but did not die immediately and endured great pain and suffering, fear and mental anguish before his death.”

The trooper who performed the PIT move is referred to in the lawsuit as “John Doe.”

The lawsuit has been filed on behalf of Chelgren’s minor child and other surviving members of his family.

A state police news release of the incident issued on April 8, 2023, reported that troopers were trying to stop a black SUV at about 11:31 p.m. The release reported the chase ended in a fatal crash in Penn Township.

The chase began, it stated, when Chelgren “failed to stop and drove away at a high rate of speed.”

The news release then noted the Chelgren vehicle crashed along Harper Mine Road. It reported “a 47-year-old passenger in the vehicle was also injured in the crash.”

The lawsuit, filed late last week by Pittsburgh attorney Anthony E. Patterson, questioned whether the police use of deadly force was unlawful and appropriate for what it called “a minor traffic violation.”

“Defendant John Doe used unreasonable force during the pursuit of Mr. Chelgren, and thus violated Mr. Chelgren’s Fourth Amendment rights, which is actionable under the Federal Civil Rights Act,” according to the filing in Johnstown.

The lawsuit pointed out that Chelgren had not committed, or attempted to commit, a felony and there was no evidence he possessed a deadly weapon.

Also, it charged the “John Doe” trooper did not have probable cause to believe Chelgren posed a threat of death or serious bodily injury to the trooper himself.

It charged that (John Doe) and the other troopers involved in the pursuit “unreasonably initiated a dangerous pursuit over a minor traffic violation.”

The lawsuit seeks damages under the federal Civil Rights Act of 1983 for the unlawful use of unreasonable and excessive force and for a state-created danger.

It also brings civil charges of assault and battery and seeks damages under Pennsylvania’s Wrongful death and Survival acts.

Attempts to get comment from the plaintiff’s attorney and the state police were not successful.

District Judge Stephanie L. Haines will preside over the case.

She referred the lawsuit to the federal court Alternative District Resolution program.