BELLEVILLE, Ill., March 20 (UPI) -- An Illinois state trooper accused of reckless homicide for a head-on crash that killed two sisters pleaded not guilty Thursday.
Matt Mitchell appeared in court in a wheelchair for his arraignment, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. He is free on a $30,000 personal recognizance bond.
Investigators say that Mitchell, responding to a call about another car crash, was driving 126 mph when he lost control of his cruiser the day after Thanksgiving. After crossing the median of I-64, he collided with a car driven by Jessica Uhl.
Uhl and her sister, Kelli, both in their teens, were returning from participating in a family photograph when they were killed.
St. Clair County State's Attorney Robert Haida said after the indictment last week that Mitchell was driving too fast and was distracted at the time of the crash. He said that the trooper was not drunk.
Mitchell was suspended after being formally charged.
