California – Prosecutors are pushing to introduce details of a 2018 California hit-and-run accident involving Derrick J. Thompson as evidence in a current case where he faces charges for a 2023 high-speed crash in Minneapolis that killed five young women.
According to Assistant Hennepin County Attorney Paige Starkey, the two incidents bear “striking similarities,” both involving reckless driving while evading police and causing deadly accidents.
Thompson, son of former DFL State Rep. John Thompson, is facing serious charges, including vehicular homicide and third-degree murder, for a June 16, 2023 crash. The accident occurred when Thompson allegedly drove a rented Cadillac Escalade into a Honda Civic at high speed, killing five women who had been returning from a wedding event. At the time, Thompson had been released early from a California prison after serving time for the 2018 hit-and-run in Montecito, which left a pedestrian with severe injuries.
In the 2023 incident, surveillance footage shows the Escalade speeding and weaving through traffic at 95 miles per hour before crashing into the Civic, leaving the smaller car crushed against a freeway overpass wall. Prosecutors argue that the crash bears chilling similarities to the 2018 case, where Thompson fled the scene after injuring a pedestrian while carrying illegal narcotics in his vehicle.
In addition to the state charges, Thompson also faces federal charges related to narcotics and firearms, as police found drugs and a handgun in the SUV abandoned after the Minneapolis crash. Prosecutors in both state and federal cases aim to link the 2018 hit-and-run with the 2023 crash to establish a pattern of reckless behavior and intent to evade legal responsibility.
Thompson’s defense attorney has argued that the 2018 crash is irrelevant and prejudicial, but the prosecution maintains that it’s essential to proving Thompson’s involvement in the 2023 fatal crash.
Our thoughts are with the victims of both tragic accidents and their families. These cases highlight the devastating consequences of reckless driving and fleeing responsibility. We hope justice is served for those who have lost their lives and for their grieving families.
