
Hopkins Woman Convicted of Hitting Trooper While Fleeing Rochester-Area Traffic Stop Sentenced
Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- A Twin Cities woman accused of hitting a state trooper during a traffic stop near Rochester has been sentenced.
Read More: Charges: Twin Cities Woman Clipped Trooper While Fleeing Rochester Area Traffic Stop
50-year-old Rachelle Lynn Carter was charged with felony fleeing, gross misdemeanor DWI and misdemeanor obstruction for the February 2025 incident.
The criminal complaint says a trooper stopped a vehicle seen weaving between lane lines and changing speeds on Hwy. 52 in Oronoco.
Twin Cities Woman Sentenced After Pleading Guilty to Fleeing Rochester-Area Traffic Stop
Carter rolled down her window when the trooper arrived at the vehicle she was driving.
The trooper reported immediately detecting the odor of alcohol and marijuana. A breath test measured the Hopkins woman’s blood-alcohol-content concentration at 0.09, the complaint says.

Carter then sped away from the scene of the traffic stop after the trooper told her she was under arrest.
The trooper was hit by the pillar connecting the vehicle’s roof to its frame as Carter pulled away, the complaint says.
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The trooper, who was still in possession of Carter’s driver's license, briefly pursued but called off the chase.
Carter was subsequently captured by the Goodhue County Sheriff’s Office about an hour after the traffic stop, according to the complaint.
Plea Deal and Sentencing
Carter entered a plea agreement earlier this week. She pleaded guilty to the fleeing charge in exchange for the dismissal of the other counts.
Following the guilty plea, Carter was sentenced to three years probation and four days in jail.
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