June 10, 2009 - Police Officer Charged in Car Crash

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Charges of involuntary manslaughter and assault have been filed against a Missouri police officer for a car crash that killed four people, authorities say.

Sunset Hills Officer Christine L. Miller was heading in the wrong direction on Dougherty Ferry Road last March when her car collided with a vehicle that was turning right, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Wednesday.

Three hours after the early morning accident, Miller's blood alcohol level was about twice the legal limit, said St. Louis County Prosecutor Robert P. McCulloch who announced the charges against Miller at a news conference Tuesday.

"This involves an individual who went way beyond the limit, and it was met with tragic results," he said.

McCulloch said Miller was drinking with friends the night of the accident but declined to provide further details.

"Certainly we expect more out of officers but from a legal standpoint, they are not held to a higher or lower standard," McCulloch said.