Son of Former Minnesota Lawmaker Convicted on Federal Gun and Drug Charges Linked to Crash that Killed Five

(KNSI) – The son of a former Minnesota lawmaker has been convicted of federal gun and drug charges in connection to a fatal crash last summer.

Derrick John Thompson was found guilty of one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possessing a firearm as a felon, and one count of carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.

On June 16th, 2023, a trooper with the Minnesota State Patrol said he saw a black Cadillac Escalade heading north on I-35W at 95 miles per hour in a 55-mile-per-hour zone. The trooper witnessed the driver, later identified as Thompson, abruptly cut across four lanes of traffic and exit the freeway at Lake Street. The trooper said he was not chasing Thompson due to his dangerous speeds, but he followed Thompson as he continued onto city streets.

The 29-year-old Thompson is accused of running a red light at the intersection of East Lake Street and 2nd Avenue South and ramming into the driver’s side of a Honda Civic at full speed. The five women inside were all killed.

Witnesses told police they saw Thompson take off running, and officers found him sitting on the curb outside a nearby restaurant. He was hurt in the crash but told investigators who asked about his injuries that they were old. Witnesses identified Thompson as the driver, and he was taken into custody.

An officer found a rental receipt for the SUV showing Thompson picked up the vehicle from a Hertz located at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport approximately 30 minutes before the crash.

Court records say a search of the Escalade turned up a black leather bag on the front passenger side floor containing a loaded gun with an extended magazine, more than 2,000 blue “M-Box 30” fentanyl pills, 14 grams of fentanyl powder, and a baggie with 35 grams of cocaine. Testing showed Thompson’s DNA was on the firearm, the fentanyl powder, and the cocaine.

A search of his phone showed dozens of texts indicating fentanyl deals. Because Thompson has multiple prior felony convictions, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.

Derrick Thompson is the son of former Minnesota State Representative John Thompson. The Democrat was famously pulled over in July 2021 in St. Paul because his car didn’t have a front license plate. The lawmaker then presented a Wisconsin state identification card and was cited for driving with a suspended license.

Thompson later stated that he was racially profiled and “got a ticket for driving while Black.” In the aftermath, news came to light that Thompson had been involved in five domestic assault investigations from 2003 to 2011.

Several state officials, including Governor Tim Walz and Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan, subsequently called on Thompson to resign from the legislature. The DFL caucus expelled him on September 14th, 2021. He failed to win his party’s endorsement for reelection in 2022 and was defeated by 90 points in the primary.

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