According to KKTV, Schulz responded to a call at Goss's home on June 16, 2011 after a report about a woman on his property. But when Schulz tried to quiz Goss about the situation, he allegedly became argumentative.
Before long, Schulz maintains, the confrontation escalated from verbal to physical -- so much so that after returning to his vehicle, the deputy shot Goss with a stun gun.
Apparently, Goss wasn't stunned enough: He is said to have physically removed the Taser's barbs, in addition to grabbing Schulz's radio and using it to bring him to the ground. Then, Goss was accused of going after the officer's gun. During the subsequent struggle, the pistol fired several times, with one shot striking Goss in the abdomen. He recovered.
Schulz was cleared in the shooting, while Goss was put on trial and eventually convicted of second-degree assault on a peace officer, disarming a peace officer and several other charges.
At the sentencing in May, Schulz talked about how he'd suffered as a result of the dust-up. The Gazette notes that he was tearful when he described nerve damage that would never heal, and which prevented him from jogging, riding horses or lifting his son. And that's not to mention the emotional distress. The paper quotes him as telling Goss, "You caused me more pain than you can imagine. I have no pity for what will happen to you. I can't forgive you even though I know that I should."
Despite this impassioned speech, the aforementioned judge gave Goss the minimum jolt he could -- four years, as opposed to a possible twelve.
Did this sentence inspire the suit? Hard to say. But Schulz is pursuing it even though the onetime community pillar at the other end of it is currently in jail.
More from our News archive: "Sam Brownlee, first Weld County deputy killed in line of duty since 1940: Tributes pour in."
