It’s been nearly four years since Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper Robert D. Crewse was shot twice by a suspect after investigating a suspicious vehicle near Mansfield.
The suspect arrested in the shooting, 35-year-old Colby M. Rey, of Orlando, Fla., officially entered a guilty plea on Feb. 8 for an incident that took place the morning of July 18, 2018.
He received multiple counts of both first-degree assault and unlawful use of a weapon as well as resisting or interfering with a felony arrest along with one charge of armed criminal action.
In a Mansfield Mirror article from 2018, Trooper Crewse had responded to Clouse Road, north of Mansfield, after a report of a suspicious vehicle.
He arrived and located a single person in the vehicle and was provided a fictitious name by the individual.
A registration check revealed the license plates were registered to a different vehicle. When Rey was asked to exit the vehicle, he became agitated and refused to comply.
A second trooper and a Mansfield police officer arrived on the scene to assist.
At that time, Rey, in the vehicle, produced a hand gun and began firing at the officers.
The officers returned fire, and the suspect was hit several times.
Trooper Crewse was later treated at a local hospital for his gunshot wounds and his he fortunately did not have life threatening injuries resulting from the incident
Rey’s official sentencing has been set for May 16.