A Mexico man faces six charges including second degree murder in connection with the death of a state trooper on the morning of August 28.
The Audrain County prosecutor says 20-year-old Serghei Pavel Comerzan caused the death of state trooper James Bava, when Comerzan refused to stop after Bava saw him speeding on a motorcycle on an Audrain County road. Comerzan is accused of fleeing from Bava as fast as 105 miles per hour in a zone with a 55-mile per hour speed limit and passing other vehicles while looking behind himself at the pursuing trooper. During the ensuing chase, Bava’s vehicle left the road, hit a ditch, a fence and some trees, then caught fire.
Comerzan could face between 10 years and life in prison for the murder charge.
At about 8:30 that morning Bava radioed that he had seen a motorcyclist commit at traffic violation. Patrol radio operators were not able to establish further contact with him. A few minutes later the patrol received a report that a patrol vehicle had crashed.
Earlier story: Missouri Highway Patrol investigating crash that killed trooper Friday morning