Man Pleads Guilty To Hit-&-Run That Injured Army Recruiters

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A Minneapolis man with a lengthy criminal record has pleaded guilty to running down two Army recruiters at a Roseville crosswalk in September, the Ramsey County Attorney's Office announced Wednesday.

Enrico Taylor, 52, specifically pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree assault and one count of second-degree assault in connection to the Sept. 17 incident.

"We are pleased with today's plea where the defendant took responsibility for his criminal conduct and spared any further strain on his victims and their families," said Ramsey County Attorney John Choi. "We look forward to the sentencing phase where the defendant will hear directly from those whose lives he greatly harmed through his actions."

According to the charges, Taylor allegedly dragged one of the recruiters for nearly a mile before the victim was able to free himself from the vehicle.

That victim, identified as 42-year-old Sgt. Travis Torgerson, of Circle Pines, suffered a broken leg, tailbone and ribs, along with numerous abrasions to his tailbone and lower back. The injuries will require several skin grafts to fully heal as the flesh was ground down to the bone, according to authorities.

The other victim, 29-year-old Sgt. Michael Stroud, of Brooklyn Center, was tossed into the air and landed about 15 feet away.

According to the complaint, police were called shortly after 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday regarding two pedestrians who were struck by a Jeep near Roseville Shopping Center.

Stroud told officers that he and Torgerson were in the crosswalk when a Jeep approached them, did not slow down and proceeded through the crosswalk at about 10-12 mph.

Two witnesses told officers they saw Torgerson hanging on to the rear bumper of the vehicle, screaming for help as the vehicle dragged him.

Police discovered that while Taylor was allegedly dragging Torgerson, Taylor left his vehicle twice, saw Torgerson underneath and began kicking him to try and free him from his Jeep. After an unsuccessful attempt, Taylor got back into his vehicle and continued to drive with Torgerson stuck underneath, while running stop signs and stop lights.

As Taylor turned southbound on Prior Avenue, Torgerson was able to free himself from the vehicle. Taylor continued to drive away, according to the charges.

Officers later located the unoccupied vehicle in a Motel 6 parking lot in Roseville. Motel staff called police after Taylor asked them to call him a cab and they noticed he was acting unusual.

Taylor then fled the motel and was arrested in a nearby auto dealership.

Taylor will be sentenced January 15, 2014 at 1:30 p.m. in front of Judge Tilsen.