AG will look into crash of 2 Aberdeen police cars

Talk about it

ABERDEEN (AP) — Brown County's lead prosecutor said she will consult with the South Dakota attorney general's office about whether any action is warranted against two Aberdeen police officers who crashed their cars at a city intersection, sending themselves and a ride-along intern to the hospital.

A decision on whether the officers broke any laws is at least a couple of weeks away, State's Attorney Kimberly Dorsett told the media. Meanwhile, Police Chief Don Lanpher Jr. said his department will continue its own investigation into whether any department policies were violated.

The Highway Patrol has wrapped up its probe into the March 18 crash that happened when officers Alejandro Reyes, 28, and Mark Miller, 27, responded to a call for help from another officer chasing an assault suspect on foot at about 4 a.m. The crash sent the cars careening into an apartment building. Reyes, Miller, and 21-year-old Northern State University student Ashley Elliott were treated at a hospital for unspecified injuries.

The Highway Patrol did not determine the cars' speed at the time of the accident, although Reyes estimated he was traveling at 58 mph and Miller said he was traveling at 18 mph. The patrol did not issue a citation to either officer.

Neither Miller nor Elliott remembered details about the crash, according to statements taken during the investigation. Reyes' flashing red lights were activated while Miller's were not, based on footage from Reyes' head camera and witness testimony, according to the report. Lanpher has said officers in such a situation are not obliged to turn on their flashing lights because it might alert a suspect.

The crash caused an estimated $30,000 in damages: $27,500 to the vehicles, $1,000 to the apartment complex and $400 to a tree, according to the report.

Tags: news, updates, state, aberdeen, police, crime