San Diego

The family of a young woman murdered by a California Highway Patrol officer will not get a second trial in a civil suit filed against the patrolman and the CHP.

Superior Court Judge James Milliken Wednesday denied a motion for a new trial in the suit filed by the family of Cara Knott, a 20-year-old college student killed in 1986 by former CHP Officer Craig Peyer.

The ruling left intact a jury’s finding that Peyer alone is responsible for paying $7.5 million in damages to Knott’s family, and that the CHP is absolved of any blame for the death.

Milliken did not explain why he denied the motion, why he declined to enter a judgment against the CHP or why he denied Peyer’s motion for a new trial on the amount of damages.

Peyer, the first CHP officer convicted of murder while on duty, was accused of stopping Knott at night on an isolated exit off Interstate 15, strangling her and dumping her body from a nearby bridge.

After two trials, he was found guilty of murder and is now serving 25 years to life in state prison.

In the civil case, the jury found that the CHP was not negligent or responsible for damages.

That apparently left Peyer liable for the $7.5 million award to the family on which the jury unanimously agreed.

Michael Crosby, attorney for the Knotts, said the family plans to go to the 4th District Court of Appeal to seek a new trial.

“The court has a lot of options,” Crosby said. “They could order a new trial for the whole case or just on the liability portion.”

The appeal, he said, “is a family decision. ‘

“They went through two criminal trials and they are ready to go through two civil trials if that’s what it takes to achieve justice in this case,” Crosby said.