McMorris charged with killing man while fleeing police

Trevon McMorris was charged in the death of a Minneapolis man after fleeing police who were investigating him for drug dealing, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced Friday.

McMorris, 27, of Brooklyn Park, was charged with fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle, resulting in death. The victim was 50-year-old Jose Madrid Salcido of Minneapolis. McMorris is expected to make his first court appearance at 1:30 p.m. today.

According to the criminal complaint, on Wednesday, Minneapolis police responded to a call of people in three vehicles making suspicious exchanges with each other in front of 3330 Aldrich Ave. N. Officers arrived and one of them approached a red Dodge Durango. The driver’s side window was open and the officer obtained identification from McMorris, the driver. The officer also noticed a strong smell of marijuana coming from the Durango.

The officer went back to his squad car to run routine checks on McMorris. Another officer was talking to the driver of the car in front of McMorris. Suddenly, McMorris sped away, nearly hitting the officer who was talking to the other driver, the complaint states.

McMorris sped north on Aldrich and crashed into a dark sedan traveling west on 36th Avenue North and then struck a parked car. Madrid Salcido was the driver in the dark sedan and police found him pinned inside. The officers got him out of the car and an ambulance rushed him to North Memorial Health Hospital where he died about an hour late, according to the complaint.

A search of McMorris’ Durango turned up several bags of suspected cocaine, a loaded Taurus .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol, marijuana and a small scale, the complaint states. McMorris had a large amount of cash in his pockets.

McMorris was convicted April 4 of fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle.

McMorris Criminal Complaint (PDF)