Trooper loses bid to get driving privileges

BELLEVILLE, Ill. — A former Illinois State Police trooper whose 2007 high-speed crash killed two sisters has lost his latest bid to get his driving privileges back.

The Belleville News-Democrat reports that an Illinois Secretary of State hearing officer denied Matt Mitchell’s request to have his driver’s license reinstated. He now has a little more than a month to appeal to a court.

Mitchell’s license was revoked after he pleaded guilty to reckless homicide charges. He was driving more than 120 mph and using his cellphone on Interstate 64 in southwestern Illinois when his cruiser crossed the median, killing two Collinsville sisters and injuring a Fayetteville couple.

Mitchell now lives in Killeen, Texas. He says he’s a single parent and needs to be able to drive.