Man charged after driving into crash scene
A 39-year-old Richfield man faces charges of criminal vehicular operation after driving into the scene of an unrelated crash, where he hit two patrol cars and injured a state trooper.
Lt. Eric Roeske said troopers were responding to a rollover at the Interstate 494 ramp to northbound I-35W on Saturday night when the man drove into the area. He said the man exhibited signs of intoxication.
Roeske said the crash was unusual because the driver apparently ignored many indications to stop.
"Oftentimes, when we get a squad hit, it's a single squad at a traffic stop or a single squad at a crash scene," Roeske said. "For someone to drive right into an active crash scene with this amount of warning and lighting and flares is unusual. But it shows when someone is impaired how dangerous they are to not be able to recognize this."
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Roeske said two children in the driver's car were improperly restrained and suffered bumps and bruises. He said the injured trooper has been treated and released.
"Fortunately no one suffered serious injuries," he said, "but obviously the situation could have been much, much worse."
Roeske said the suspect was taken to the Hennepin County Medical Center and then booked at the Hennepin County Jail.
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