A Goodhue County grand jury indicted a state trooper Tuesday in the deaths of a Cannon Falls couple who were killed July 4 when their car was broadsided by the trooper's as he sped to an accident.
Norman Scott, 78, and Geneva Scott, 79, died in the crash.
Trooper Scott R. Reps, 48, of Red Wing, faces two counts of second-degree manslaughter and one count of failure to drive with due care, according to a statement by the Winona County attorney's office.
Reps' attorneys said Tuesday they would seek to dismiss the indictment.
At the time of the accident, Reps was responding to a collision between a motorcyclist and a deer that left the cyclist injured. His patrol car was heading down 65th Avenue when the crash occurred near County Road 24, just south of the Cannon Falls town center.
According to reports, witnesses described hearing sirens and seeing the patrol car's lights when the Scotts' car pulled out of a parking lot and was hit on the driver's side.
The two cars spun and hit a third vehicle without causing additional injuries.
Attorneys Frederic Bruno and Samantha Schmidt, who represent Reps, issued a statement saying the trooper "was acting responsibly and in compliance with his sworn duties" on the day in question.
"Profound evidentiary and procedural errors were committed by the Assistant Winona County Attorneys in the presentation of this case," the lawyers said.
The defense will file motions seeking to dismiss the indictment against Reps.
Reps will make his next appearance Feb. 20 in Goodhue County District Court.
Staff writer David Chanen contributed to this report.
Matt McKinney • 612-673-7329
