U. S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger | U.S. Department of Justice
U. S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger | U.S. Department of Justice
A federal jury in St. Paul, Minnesota, has found Derrick John Thompson guilty of illegal possession of a firearm and fentanyl following a fatal vehicle crash that resulted in the deaths of five individuals. U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger announced the verdict.
Thompson, 28, was convicted after a five-day trial in U.S. District Court before Judge Jeffrey M. Bryan. The charges included possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, possessing a firearm as a felon, and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.
The incident occurred on June 16, 2023, when Thompson was observed by a Minnesota State Patrol trooper driving a black Cadillac Escalade at 95 miles per hour on I-35W, significantly exceeding the speed limit of 55 miles per hour. The trooper noted Thompson's erratic driving as he exited the freeway abruptly without using emergency lights or sirens due to safety concerns.
At the intersection of 2nd Avenue South and East Lake Street, Thompson ran through a red light and collided with a Honda Civic, resulting in the deaths of all five occupants—four adult females and one juvenile female. Witnesses directed law enforcement to Thompson's location near the crash site where he was detained.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Thompson had rented the Cadillac Escalade from Hertz at Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport shortly before the crash. A search of the vehicle revealed a loaded Glock pistol with an extended magazine and over 2,000 fentanyl pills along with other drugs and paraphernalia. DNA tests confirmed Thompson's connection to these items.
Due to his prior felony convictions, federal law prohibits Thompson from possessing firearms or ammunition.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the FBI, Minneapolis Police Department, Minnesota State Patrol, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and Minneapolis–St. Paul Airport Police Department with coordination from the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Calhoun-Lopez and Ruth S. Shnider prosecuted the case.
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