Illinois Trooper Gets 30 Months Probation for Reckless Homicide of Two Teens

Updated 5:12 p.m.

Daily RFT received an e-mail response from Kimberly Schlau regarding the guilty plea of Matt Mitchell.

"We are hopeful that this conviction sends a message not only to all first responders and law enforcement officers, but to all drivers: please slow down, pay attention, put down the phone and drive safely."

Original story below...

Matt Mitchell, the Illinois State Trooper who was going 126 mph when he struck a car with two teenage sisters in it, pleaded guilty to reckless homicide earlier today. His punishment? Probation.

The Post-Dispatch reports that Mitchell pleaded guilty and as part of plea deal will serve 30 months probation.

Mitchell was responding to an emergency call November 23, 2007 when he lost control of his car going 126 mph on I-64. The resulting crash killed Collinsville sisters Jessica and Kelli Uhl, 18 and 13, and injured two other people. Prosecutors also said Mitchell was on his phone, receiving and sending e-mails, shortly before the crash.

A similar plea bargain agreement fell through last month. Mitchell still has a civil suit against him brought by the teens' parents.

Kimberly Schlau, their mother, is now a spokesperson for PursuitSafety, a group working to raise awareness about the dangers of high-speed police pursuits. She has also set up a website in memory of her daughters.

Daily RFT has calls out to Kimberly Schlau and the Illinois State Police. We will update this story as more facts become available.