Sheriff's office releases squad dashcam video showing moments before fatal pedestrian crash
The Rice County Sheriff's Office released 18 seconds of squad dashcam footage Monday showing the moments before one of its sergeants struck and killed a woman in the road.
Stephanie Marie Wesley of Faribault died early Saturday after Rice County Sgt. Trevor Peterson hit her with his squad car on Morristown Boulevard/Highway 60 around 2 a.m. Little was known about the circumstances of the crash, which the State Patrol is investigating.
But in a news release Monday, the Rice County Sheriff's Office said the 52-year-old Wesley was lying on the pavement, in the lane of traffic and parallel to the fog line, when Peterson struck her. The office also released the brief clip of dashcam video, which does not show the impact.
Read more: Friends and family 'devastated' by death of woman hit, killed by sheriff's deputy
The first 17 seconds of the clip show the dark road ahead as Peterson is driving on the highway. In the video's final moments, an object — which appears to be a person — appears three to four lane dashes ahead. Once the vehicle is within about two dashes of the body, the video ends.
The sheriff's office said it released the clip to "quell any rumors," saying "transparency is key to gaining public trust."
Peterson was going 59 mph at the time, the sheriff's office said. The speed limit at the crash site is 60 mph.
The release does not indicate why Wesley was lying in the road, nor does the video offer any such clues.
Wesley died at the scene. The Rice County Sheriff's Office said deputies and first responders immediately provided first aid.
"We continue to send our thoughts and prayers for the family of Ms. Wesley," Monday's statement from the sheriff's office said. "This is a tragic event. Since this case is still under investigation, the Rice County Sheriff's Office will have no further comment at this time."
The video is below.
Warning: The video may be upsetting to some people.
Note: Some of the details provided in this story are based on law enforcement's latest version of events, and may be subject to change.
