Oklahoma City Police Department, Oklahoma
End of Watch: Thursday, August 31, 2000
Age: 42
Tour of Duty: 2 years
Badge Number: 1162
Cause of Death: Vehicle pursuit
Date of Incident: August 31, 2000
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Both killed in accident
Police Officer Jeffrey Rominger and Trooper Matt Evans, driving separate patrol cars, were killed in a collision in downtown Oklahoma City.
Officer Rominger was chasing a vehicle when the suspect drove onto the off-ramp of I-40 and began to drive the wrong way toward oncoming traffic. During the chase, a tractor-trailer topped a rise in the road and collided with the suspect's vehicle. The suspect's vehicle then struck Trooper Evans' patrol car head-on. Officer Rominger's patrol car then struck the vehicle from the other side, causing all three vehicles to be engulfed in flames.
Trooper Evans was not involved in the chase but was responding to assist another trooper on an unrelated drug-related traffic stop. Both officers' deaths were ruled homicides.
Trooper Evans and the two suspects were pronounced dead at the scene. Officer Rominger was transported to a local hospital where he passed away a short time later.
Officer Rominger graduated first in his recruit class in June 1998 and served with the Oklahoma City Police Department for two years. He is survived by his mother and 8-year-old son.