Trooper cleared of wrongdoing in fatal shooting of woman on I-275 in Clermont County
The Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper who shot and killed a woman driving the wrong way on Interstate 275 has been cleared of wrongdoing, according to prosecutors.
Trooper Andrew Francher fatally shot 34-year-old Kelsey Hildal, of Blue Ash, during a confrontation on the interstate in Union Township on April 1.
The Clermont County Prosecutor's Office said in a news release May 14 that Francher's actions were "reasonable, appropriate, and necessary to protect both his own life and the lives of others." Prosecutors said there would not be a case presented to a grand jury.
The decision not to pursue charges came after the prosecutor's office reviewed the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation's findings, as well as body camera and dashboard camera footage.
Woman raised and lowered hands after showing gun to trooper in fatal I-275 shooting
Francher was patrolling the interstate around 11:15 p.m. on April 1 when he observed Hildal driving an SUV the wrong way in the southbound lanes, prosecutors said.
The trooper received approval from his supervisor to crash his cruiser into Hildal's vehicle and pin the SUV against a concrete barrier to bring it to a stop. Prosecutors said Hildal "posed an immediate threat to public safety."
Body and dashboard camera footage show Francher coming upon Hildal, driving in the wrong direction on the highway, and turning around to catch up to her. Hildal, driving on the shoulder with her hazard lights on, brakes as the trooper intentionally crashes his cruiser into her car, wedging it next to the concrete barrier.
As the trooper calls in that he's stopped Hildal, she raises her hands with what appears to be a pistol in her right hand, pointed toward her car roof.
"She's got a gun," the trooper yells out over his radio.
"Show me your hands! Show me your hands now!" the trooper yells out toward Hildal, who drops the gun but continues to raise and lower her hands.
The trooper makes several commands to Hildal to not move or reach anything, eventually stepping out of his cruiser and holding her at gunpoint. Hildal continues to raise and lower her hands out the driver's side window, and at one point, the trooper fires. Twelve shots rang out in rapid succession.
Prosecutors said Hildal's Glock handgun was loaded with a round in the chamber. Inside her vehicle were also two shotguns, which she legally owned. The video footage showed Hildal wearing what appears to be a type of black tactical, possibly bulletproof vest, with a helmet nearby.
Police pulled Hildal from the vehicle and provided medical aid after the shooting stopped. She died of her injuries at the scene.
"It should be clear to all that police officers have the right to protect their own lives as well as those of the public," Clermont County Prosecutor Mark Tekulve said in a statement.
According to her obituary, Hildal was a "true athlete" who played basketball, soccer and mixed martial arts.
From early in life, she suffered from severe health problems that forced her to have to learn how to walk again at the age of 10, her high school basketball coach told columnist Bill Speltz in 2009. Involuntary facial twitches and spasms were constant until she underwent a medical procedure to try and fix the issue.
Just a few years after that, Hildal was involved in a bad car accident that fractured her arm and gave her a head injury that "changed her personality," Speltz wrote.
Hildal persevered, at one point joining a Montana boarding school's basketball team and scoring a school-record 39 points as a 5'4" guard.
"She loved the phrase: 'Everything is figureoutable' with this current circumstance being a clear exception," Hildal's obituary reads. "This beautiful soul was a fascinating being; kind, bright, loyal, and unforgettable."
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper cleared of wrongdoing in shooting
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