Injury Accident in Billings Involves Montana Highway Patrol Trooper

A 22-year-old Billings man was charged with two counts of criminal endangerment following a pre-dawn collision with a Montana Highway Patrol trooper.

The accident, which occurred at 15th Street West and Central Avenue happened at 2:09 a.m. Thursday. Billings police officers were dispatched to an injury accident involving an MHP trooper. 

The unidentified MHP trooper was transporting a prisoner, traveling southbound on 15th Street West and was approaching Central Avenue when the accident occurred. A Dodge Grand Caravan, driven by 22-year-old Ryan Schottler of Billings, was northbound and turned westbound onto Central Avenue in front of the trooper, causing the collision, according to a news release from the Billings Police Department.

The trooper suffered a minor injury was not transported to a hospital. The collision totaled the MHP vehicle. The prisoner the trooper was transporting suffered minor injury and was transported by ambulance to a local hospital.

Schottler of Billings did not suffer any injuries.

Drugs and alcohol were factors in the collision, according to Billings police.