MOUNT VERNON, Ill. (AP) - A former Illinois state trooper whose driving privileges were revoked after he caused a southwestern Illinois freeway crash that killed two sisters has asked for a fifth time to get his license reinstated.

Matt Mitchell will have a hearing on his latest request May 20 in Mount Vernon, making use of limitless reinstatement requests that by law he can file every three months, the Belleville News-Democrat reported (https://bit.ly/1do0km3 ).

Mitchell was a state trooper in 2007 when his cruiser crossed the median on Interstate 64 east of St. Louis and slammed into oncoming traffic, killing Collinsville sisters Jessica Uhl, 18, and Kelli Uhl, 13. Mitchell had been driving more than 120 mph at the time and using his cellphone and computer. He pleaded guilty to reckless homicide and received probation.

Mitchell’s latest request to get back his driving privileges was rejected in February. His attorney, J. Israel Slone, insisted that hearing officers after Mitchell’s past two hearings recommended that his client get his license back, but the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office scuttled such moves.

Slone said he has worked on thousands of license reinstatement hearings and has never seen anyone have as much difficulty as Mitchell.

The girls’ mother, Kim Schlau, said she doesn’t expect to keep Mitchell off the road forever, despite her challenges of his reinstatement requests.

Mitchell moved to Texas after he was sentenced, but he later moved back to Illinois. He said he needs his driving privileges restored so he can take his daughter to school.

___

Information from: Belleville News-Democrat, https://www.bnd.com

Sign up for Daily Newsletters Manage Newsletters

Copyright © 2020 The Washington Times, LLC.