BALLWIN, Mo. — A man pleaded guilty Monday in St. Louis County Circuit Court to killing a woman in 2020 after crashing his SUV into the Ballwin urgent care building where she worked.
According to court documents, Trenton Geiger, 22, of Chesterfield admitted he caused the death of 25-year-old Marissa Politte by striking her with his SUV at about 8:15 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020.
Geiger had passed out at the wheel and drove through lanes of oncoming traffic and a parking lot before striking a light pole, tree, and Politte. The SUV then struck a Total Access Urgent Care building at 2501 Clarkson Road. Politte was leaving work at the time, court documents say.
Geiger also admitted disposing of nitrous oxide cartridges that were in his car and possessing a controlled substance, though no witnesses saw him taking the drugs.
Ballwin police shortly after the crash said Geiger was involved with "huffing" fumes. However, a toxicology screening of his body revealed the presence of THC, and experts found no evidence of THC intoxication.
Geiger pleaded guilty to the following charges Monday in connection to the fatal crash:
- Second-degree involuntary manslaughter, a Class E felony
- Possession of a controlled substance, a Class D felony
- Tempering with evidence in a felony prosecution, a Class E felony
- Unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class D misdemeanor
Through plea bargaining, Geiger was sentenced to two years in prison for each felony count, to be served concurrently, and fined $250 for the misdemeanor.
"This case shows how hard intoxication by drugs other than alcohol can be to prove beyond a reasonable doubt, given the current state of toxicology science," St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell said in a statement. "Though no number of years in prison can ever compensate for the tragic loss of a life, this young man has taken responsibility for his criminal negligence and will serve time, and Ms. Politte's loved ones have some closure."
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