MSHP report reveals details of fatal Feb. 29 crash involving Sikeston DPS captain

Editor's note: This story has been updated to accurately attribute information to a crash report, and clarify that a reconstruction report is still being conducted.

A response was issued by Scott County Prosecutor Amanda Oesch after this story published to clarify the county's involvement in the investigation, which can be read here.

It has been more than a month since off-duty Sikeston Department of Public Safety Capt. Andrew Cooper allegedly ran a stop sign at the intersection of East Salcedo Road and Columbine Street in Sikeston, Missouri, killing one person and seriously injuring four others.

Cooper was arrested at 10:07 p.m. the night of the crash and charged with felony driving while intoxicated resulting in a death, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol arrest report. The arrest report goes on to state Cooper was "released for medical treatment," and as of today, no charges have been filed in Scott County against Cooper.

According to Sikeston DPS director James McMillen, Cooper was suspended without pay March 2. The director shared his opinions on the incident in a Standard Democrat column published March 11, which never mentioned Cooper by name and provided little information aside from noting the crash would be investigated by the highway patrol.

Paint is seen March 29 marking the location where two vehicles collided in the intersection of East Salcedo Road and Columbine Street in Sikeston, Missouri.BEN MATTHEWS

"We will continue to wait for the results of this investigation," McMillen stated in the column, "and we will have an update on this incident as soon as we have those results."

The highway patrol recently released a detailed crash report providing a better understanding of the events of the crash and any probable contributing circumstances.

Alcohol and a violation of a traffic signal/sign were both cited in the crash report as "probable contributing circumstances" for the crash of the 2016 Dodge Challenger driven by Cooper. In the report for the 2017 Chevrolet Equinox, no probable contributing circumstances were cited.

The events of the crash were summarized in the crash report's narrative description, which stated the crash occurred as the Challenger was traveling west on Salcedo Road and the Equinox was traveling south on Columbine Street.

The vehicles were then involved in a head-to-head collision about 10 feet into the intersection, according to the report, which stated the asphalt roadway was straight, level, dry and illuminated on the night of the crash. The roadway has a speed limit of 35 miles per hour.

The report stated the Challenger crossed the center of the road, then collided with the Equinox.

After the collision, the Challenger skidded and ran off the left side of the roadway where the vehicle collided with a ditch and caught fire. The Equinox skidded and ran off the right side of the roadway where it collided with a mailbox.

The driver and a passenger in the Challenger were transported by South Scott County Ambulance to Saint Francis Medical Center, according to the crash report, and a third passenger was transported by Air Evac to Saint Francis.

Both occupants of the Equinox were transported by South Scott County Ambulance. The driver was transported to Saint Francis Medical Center, and the passenger was transported to Missouri Delta Medical Center.

The passenger, Abigail Taylor Cohen, was pronounced dead by Dr. Tirso Aldana at 9:57 p.m. on Feb. 29 at Missouri Delta.

The crash report was made by Cpl. James Cooksey and reviewed by two additional officers. The highway patrol records division in Jefferson City also has evidentiary photos which were taken by Cooksey and Sgt. J. M. Weadon, and crash reconstruction information which was conducted by Weadon.

According to Sgt. Clark Parrott, a reconstruction is an "intense investigation" which includes calculations for things like speed calculations, seatbelt usage and braking input. A normal reconstruction takes approximately 45 to 60 days to complete, Parrott stated, and the reconstruction of this crash is still being conducted.

While no criminal charges have been filed against Cooper by Scott County prosecutors, the suspended Sikeston DPS captain is named as the defendant in a wrongful death lawsuit filed March 11 by Christopher Cohen. Cooper is also named in another Scott County case regarding a refused breathalyzer test.