Former Sikeston police officer waives arraignment, pleads not guilty in deadly DUI crash

SIKESTON, Mo. (KFVS) - A former officer charged in a deadly DUI crash pleaded not guilty on Tuesday, May 27.

On Tuesday, May 26, Andrew Cooper waived a formal arraignment and entered a not guilty plea. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for August 26.

According to Scott County Sheriff Wes Drury, Cooper turned himself in at the New Madrid County Sheriff’s Office late on Friday evening, May 22. His bond was set at $25,000 and he bonded out.

He was ordered to not drive, not have contact with the victims, no alcohol, no entering bars or taverns and GPS monitoring as a condition of release.

The Missouri Supreme Court assigned Madison County Judge Robin Fulton to the case after the local judge recused himself.

Cooper faces multiple driving while in intoxicated charges, including death of another and a charge of armed criminal action.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Cooper was behind the wheel of a car on February 29, when it went through a stop sign and crashed into another vehicle head on.

A Sikeston woman died in the crash. Cooper and three others were seriously hurt.

He later resigned from the Sikeston Department of Public Safety.

The husband of the woman killed in the crash filed a wrongful death civil lawsuit against Cooper. Court records show Christopher Cohen filed the suit in March, and is asking for a jury trial.

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