WAUPACA COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — An appeals court rejected an insurance company’s attempt at an early appeal of a decision requiring it to provide a defense in a wrongful death civil lawsuit stemming from a 1992 double murder.
Tony Haase was acquitted last year for the 1992 murders of Tanna Togstad and Timothy Mumbrue at a home in rural Waupaca County. Shortly before the trial concluded, Togstad’s family filed a civil lawsuit, seeking $17 million in damages.
Due to Haase’s policy, Maple Valley Mutual Insurance Company retained counsel to defend him in the case, but asked the court to dismiss it from the case, arguing its policies do not provide coverage for Haase’s alleged acts. In an October ruling, however, a judge denied that motion.
Maple Valley then filed what’s known as an interlocutory appeal. Rather than wait for the case to be concluded and then appeal, which is the norm, it asked the appeals court to review the issue now.
But in a ruling Friday, the appeals court rejected the motion, court records show.
A Dec. 18 status conference is scheduled in the case.
Just as he did at his criminal trial, Haase has denied the civil case allegations that he killed the couple.
