Charges: Wrong-way driver who hit state trooper had BAC nearly triple the legal limit
RICE, Minn. -- A driver's BAC was allegedly nearly three times the legal limit when he hit a Minnesota State Patrol squad car Thursday night, injuring a trooper.
Minnesota State Patrol says Trevor Reiter, 22, was traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes of Highway 10 in Benton County near Rice around 10:45 p.m.
A state trooper in a squad car was traveling eastbound with its emergency lights and sirens activated and tried to stop Reiter three times.
Troopers say they deployed stop sticks which helped reduce the car's speed, but Reiter's car kept traveling at approximately 35-45 mph until it hit the squad car head-on.
The trooper was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The Benton County Court says the injured officer feels stiff and sore but was released from the hospital.
The criminal complaint states Reiter smelled strongly of alcohol and had trouble walking. He took a preliminary breath test that read .229 BAC, nearly triple Minnesota's legal limit of .08.
Officers arrested Reiter and transported him to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
Reiter is charged with criminal vehicular operation and fourth-degree driving while impaired.
The crash is under investigation.
