# Illinois State Police Trooper Matt Mitchell may you rot in hell **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 3, 2007, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-state-police-trooper-matt-mitchell-may-you-rot-in-hell/428613 "2007-12-03T03:26:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2008, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-state-police-trooper-matt-mitchell-may-you-rot-in-hell/428613/81 "2008-01-23T22:58:19Z")
[QUOTE=Bricker] :rolleyes: OK, I was wrong. A moment’s thought did NOT make clear (to you, anyway) the problems posed by what you posted, so I will be happy to lay them out for you explicitly. [/QUOTE] 😃😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2008, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-state-police-trooper-matt-mitchell-may-you-rot-in-hell/428613/82 "2008-01-23T23:41:29Z")
_“A St. Clair County coroner’s jury ruled the death of two sisters who were killed when an Illinois State Police officer crossed Interstate 64 and hit their car as a “reckless homicide” this morning, an official in the coroner’s office said today.”_ Jeez, what a terrible paragraph, even for newspaperese. A quick rewrite for morning radio news: _“The verdict’s in on that Southern Illinois car crash in November that killed two teenaged sisters. A St. Clair County coroner’s jury says the deaths of Jessica and Kelly Uhl were reckless homicide. The girls, aged 18 and 13, died when their car was hit by a speeding Illinois state trooper’s car that crossed the median on I-64.”_ ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2008, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-state-police-trooper-matt-mitchell-may-you-rot-in-hell/428613/83 "2008-01-24T00:18:56Z")
[QUOTE=Muffin] If a police officer drives with flashing lights, he should expect that some vehicles, upon seeing such lights, would pull to the side of the road. [/QUOTE] And really, at 126 mph (or any significant fraction of that) the value of a siren or lights is slight. Cars you’re overtaking won’t have anything like the necessary time to see you, evaluate the situation, and then make a safe maneuver. Blaming the crash on being cut off is incredibly lame - pretty much an admission the officer lost control of himself. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2008, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-state-police-trooper-matt-mitchell-may-you-rot-in-hell/428613/84 "2008-01-24T00:55:31Z")
I also wonder if it was possible that the vehicle that allegedly cut off the officer was simply making a proper lane change, unable to see the extremely fast moving police car behind him because he had crested the hill whereas the officer had not crested the hill. > [@](#): > > A minute later, James crested an uphill section of I-64 near Scott Air Force Base to see that the cruiser had crossed the median and slammed into two vehicles in I-64’s westbound lane. ---
**Author:** ![Leviosaurus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Leviosaurus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leviosaurus)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2008, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-state-police-trooper-matt-mitchell-may-you-rot-in-hell/428613/85 "2008-01-24T21:30:20Z")
[QUOTE=Lute Skywatcher] [2006 Impala](http://www.bnd.com/167/story/235799.html). [/QUOTE] I did some research on the Impala. The best numbers I could find were from the Michigan State Police evaluation. [Cite](http://www.nlectc.org/testing/msp2006/msp_summary.html). Summary: **Stats** : 3.8L V6, 240hp **Top speed** is 142 mph (Top of all the police cars in this test. The cars I rode in topped out at 130mph) **Braking Distance** from 60mph is 142.4 feet. This is not a terrific score, as some of the SUV’s tested actually matched (and in one case did better.) Essentially, the Impala is a much faster car than the ones I rode in. FWIW, I still don’t believe the guy got it up to 126 in a real world scenario without a lot of determination. [QUOTE=Muffin] I also wonder if it was possible that the vehicle that allegedly cut off the officer was simply making a proper lane change, unable to see the extremely fast moving police car behind him because he had crested the hill whereas the officer had not crested the hill. > [@](#): > > A minute later, James crested an uphill section of I-64 near Scott Air Force Base to see that the cruiser had crossed the median and slammed into two vehicles in I-64’s westbound lane. [/QUOTE] Excellent point. All the cops I rode with slammed on their brakes when approaching the crest of a a hill, and sped up when they could see ahead of them. ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-state-police-trooper-matt-mitchell-may-you-rot-in-hell/428613/86 "2008-03-14T17:39:29Z")
Mitchell has now been charged with two counts of reckless homicide and two counts of aggravated reckless driving. The grand jury said he was distracted by “other activities” but it doesn’t say what. If I had to guess, I’d say it was just routine fumbling with the radio or looking at a map or the computer or whatever, but who knows – could get a lot more interesting. [Story here](http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/illinoisnews/story/1992E40633A71F258625740C0056D1E4?OpenDocument). ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-state-police-trooper-matt-mitchell-may-you-rot-in-hell/428613/87 "2010-09-22T10:00:54Z")
I know this is a bit of a zombie, but it’s the only recent thread I could find on this. Turns out Mitchell is now going to court to [claim Worker’s Compensation](http://www.bnd.com/2010/09/21/1408366/trooper-asks-for-help-with-his.html) for the injuries he sustained in the crash. That would be the crash in which he killed two young girls by swerving into their car at 125mph while emailing and chatting on his cell phone. Apparently he stands a good chance of receiving a substantial payout as he was on official business (i.e. responding to a call) at the time; negligence by the employee is not usually enough to prevent the payout. I know I speak as a foreigner, but that’s just f\*cked-up IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-state-police-trooper-matt-mitchell-may-you-rot-in-hell/428613/88 "2010-09-22T14:49:04Z")
> [@](#): > > Ian Elfenbaum, a Chicago lawyer, said an employee can be under the influence of drugs or alcohol when an injury occurs and still collect worker’s comp benefits. > > “You can be reckless and even negligent while working in the course and scope of your employment,” said Elfenbaum. “Negligence or recklessness on the part of the employee is not a defense for the employer.” Pure uncut steaming bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-state-police-trooper-matt-mitchell-may-you-rot-in-hell/428613/89 "2010-09-22T16:30:29Z")
Jesus, there is not a single piece of good news out of this story. He kills two girls while driving at 125 mph and texting, and gets nothing but two years suspended on full pay followed by a sentence of probation. Now he might get workers’ comp. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-state-police-trooper-matt-mitchell-may-you-rot-in-hell/428613/90 "2010-09-22T16:50:07Z")
> [@Darth\_Nader](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > Ian Elfenbaum, a Chicago lawyer, said an employee can be under the influence of drugs or alcohol when an injury occurs and still collect worker’s comp benefits. > > > > “You can be reckless and even negligent while working in the course and scope of your employment,” said Elfenbaum. “Negligence or recklessness on the part of the employee is not a defense for the employer.” > > Pure uncut steaming bullshit. That’s how no-fault insurance works. Guess what? Negligent or reckless employees can almost certainly collect workers’ compensation benefits in your state, too. ---
**Author:** ![sachertorte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sachertorte/32/3727_2.png) [@sachertorte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sachertorte)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-state-police-trooper-matt-mitchell-may-you-rot-in-hell/428613/91 "2010-09-22T16:59:58Z")
It’s kind of a good thing right? I mean, the families of the deceased can sue the fuck out of him and he will have non-zero wages to be seized. Right? Please tell me I’m right. I will be very sad if this is not the case. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-state-police-trooper-matt-mitchell-may-you-rot-in-hell/428613/92 "2010-09-22T17:05:30Z")
Well, maybe. As a public officer he’s entitled to a degree of immunity to civil suits, or to be indemnified by his employer (in this case, the state of Illinois). If he’s found to have been grossly or wilfully negligent that may or may not apply. Depends on Illinois law. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-state-police-trooper-matt-mitchell-may-you-rot-in-hell/428613/93 "2010-09-22T17:06:23Z")
> [@sachertorte](#): > > It’s kind of a good thing right? I mean, the families of the deceased can sue the fuck out of him and he will have non-zero wages to be seized. > Right? > Please tell me I’m right. I will be very sad if this is not the case. Actually, according to the stories i’ve read on the case, the families’ lawsuit is not against Mitchell himself, but against his employers, the State Police. According to [this story](http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/article_411f2abe-ff3b-56fe-9b4e-f016d4b12e6b.html), a verdict is expected soon in that case, in which the families are asking for $46 million. So, if they win the case, the taxpayers of Illinois will get the pleasure of footing the bill. ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-state-police-trooper-matt-mitchell-may-you-rot-in-hell/428613/94 "2010-09-22T19:23:52Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > That’s how no-fault insurance works. Guess what? Negligent or reckless employees can almost certainly collect workers’ compensation benefits in your state, too. > [@mhendo](#): > > So, if they win the case, the taxpayers of Illinois will get the pleasure of footing the bill. That’s why I never called it “no-fault” insurance…it’s more like “prepaid fault” insurance…the employer (aka State of Illinois, aka The Taxpayers of Illinois) are paying for the fault before it happens, and then pay for future increases due to crap like this. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-state-police-trooper-matt-mitchell-may-you-rot-in-hell/428613/95 "2010-09-22T20:51:12Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Under this logic, emergency vehicles should never speed, since their eventual timely arrival is much more certain than if they were involved in accidents. > > Not surprisingly, pretty much every first responder department in the country has rejected this type of plan. Speeding to reach an emergency is permitted and expected. I see that you have escalated the incident Trooper Mitchell was responding to from “an accident” to “an emergency”. Do you have a cite that this was an emergency he was racing to, or did you just decide you liked that word more, since it helped to make your point more? ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-state-police-trooper-matt-mitchell-may-you-rot-in-hell/428613/96 "2010-09-22T21:01:23Z")
[QUOTE=St. Louis Post Dispatch] Mitchell was on his way to a traffic crash scene where officials said he should have known other first responders had already arrived. [/QUOTE] [Ex-trooper who killed two seeks workers’ compensation](http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/article_411f2abe-ff3b-56fe-9b4e-f016d4b12e6b.html) tsfr ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-state-police-trooper-matt-mitchell-may-you-rot-in-hell/428613/97 "2010-09-22T22:31:18Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > > [@Bricker](#): > > > > Under this logic, emergency vehicles should never speed, since their eventual timely arrival is much more certain than if they were involved in accidents. > > > > Not surprisingly, pretty much every first responder department in the country has rejected this type of plan. Speeding to reach an emergency is permitted and expected. > > I see that you have escalated the incident Trooper Mitchell was responding to from “an accident” to “an emergency”. > > Do you have a cite that this was an emergency he was racing to, or did you just decide you liked that word more, since it helped to make your point more? I don’t recall what I was relying upon two and a half years ago when I wrote that, no. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-state-police-trooper-matt-mitchell-may-you-rot-in-hell/428613/98 "2010-09-22T22:35:17Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > I don’t recall what I was relying upon two and a half years ago when I wrote that, no. Try to do better next time. Sheesh. ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-state-police-trooper-matt-mitchell-may-you-rot-in-hell/428613/99 "2010-09-22T22:41:40Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > > [@Bricker](#): > > > > I don’t recall what I was relying upon two and a half years ago when I wrote that, no. > > Try to do better next time. Sheesh. First time I have laughed in this thread…Thanks Contra. RIP Jessica and Kelli… tsfr [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-state-police-trooper-matt-mitchell-may-you-rot-in-hell/428613.md?page=4)