Michigan man charged in Edina hit-and-run

A man from Michigan has been charged in the hit-and-run of a teenager in Edina, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced Friday.

Carlton Troutman, 26, of Flint, MI, was charged with second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon for violently hitting a 17-year-old girl as she attempted to board a school bus. A nationwide warrant was issued for Troutman March 11. He was arrested in Michigan March 13.

According to the criminal complaint, on Jan. 23, around 8:00 a.m., Troutman took his friend’s car, along with two other passengers, and began aggressively driving. Troutman, in addition to the passengers, had slept in the car the night before; the vehicle’s owner, stayed at his girlfriend’s house the same night, located at 5020 Ewing Ave. in Minneapolis.

At approximately 8:10 a.m., Troutman, who was speeding, approached the school bus at the intersection of France Avenue and Halifax Avenue in Edina. He violently swerved to the right of the school bus, went on the shoulder of the road, accelerated, and struck the 17-year-old girl as she was about to board the school bus, the complaint states.

The victim forcefully hit the windshield of the car and was then thrown nearly fifty feet from where she was struck as Troutman sped off from the accident. Paramedics arrived shortly after the incident and the victim was transported to Fairview Southdale Hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries she sustained, the complaint continues.

A passenger in the car received a call from the owner after the hit-and-run and told him what Troutman had done to the victim. At 8:34 a.m., the owner of the vehicle contacted the Minneapolis Police Department and filed a false stolen vehicle report in an effort to “protect” his friend from being linked to the accident. MPD responded to the owner, picked him up at his girlfriend’s house, and drove him to where the “stolen” vehicle was in Edina to retrieve it, the complaint states.

The owner then met up with Troutman and the passengers and drove to Mankato, MN. Edina Police soon began receiving eyewitness accounts of the hit-and-run which enabled investigators to identify the vehicle that Troutman was driving, and, ultimately, linked the car to the owner, the complaint continues.

Investigators interviewed the car owner, who told them what transpired the evening of Jan. 22, and how he stayed at his girlfriend’s house, while the others slept outside the residence in his car. When he woke up, the car was gone, and he called one of the passengers who informed him that Troutman had taken the vehicle. The vehicle owner also told investigators that Troutman admitted to hitting the victim, the complaint states.

On. Jan. 28, the vehicle was recovered in Mankato, MN. Specific marks found on the front of the car were consistent with hitting the victim.

Both passengers were later interviewed by investigators, who recounted the events leading up to, during and after the accident: Troutman took the car, began recklessly driving, did not attempt to avoid hitting the victim when he saw her, and drove off after striking the victim. Each stated that Troutman threatened them if they were to cooperate with police, the complaint continues.

Troutman eventually contacted Edina police after the incident and admitted to being in the vehicle at various times before and after the incident, but could not recall the accident, citing a loss of memory at the time, the complaint says.

Evidence gathered by investigators corroborated the accounts provided by the vehicle owner, the two passengers and Troutman.

On March 13, Troutman was arrested in Eaton County, MI while driving under the influence. He is currently being held in Eaton County Jail awaiting extradition to MN to face the criminal charge.

Carlton Troutman Criminal Complaint (PDF)