The Show Me State
(vastateparksstaff / photo on flickr)
A Missouri Highway Patrol sergeant who spoke out about the drowning death of a student in the agency's custody has been demoted and transferred. Trooper Anthony Piercy had arrested Brandon Ellingson for boating under the influence and was taking him in when Ellingson fell out of the trooper's boat and drowned. Sgt. Randy Henry said that the story Piercy told him after it happened differed significantly from what he later said. Specifically, Piercy admitted to traveling much faster than he later said and to putting the wrong type of life preserver on Ellingson.