Moberly man accused of shooting trooper in Shelby County charged

SHELBY COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper was shot on Wednesday evening in Clarence during an exchange of gunfire with a man who was chased by the patrol, according to a social media post from MSHP.

Erik Prange, 51, of Moberly, was charged on Thursday with four counts of first-degree assault and four counts of armed criminal action. A warrant was issued on Thursday and no bond was set. A court date has not been set.

Both men – the trooper and Prange -- were shot and brought to area hospitals. According to an email from a Troop B spokesman, the trooper who was shot was released from the hospital Thursday morning and is recovering. Prange is stable, according to the spokesman.

According to the probable cause statement, during the chase a Dodge Ram – driven by Prange –exited Highway 36 at Highway 151 and went down an embankment and stopped. Prange then apparently “partially exited the vehicle,” fired a gun and a round hit a trooper and a patrol vehicle. He then went back into the Dodge, reloaded and fired again at a patrol vehicle, the probable cause statement says.

Troopers then shot back at Prange and took him into custody, the statement says.  

Troop B represents covers counties in northern and northeast Missouri, including Macon, Randolph and Monroe counties.

According to the social media post from Troop B, the suspect was fleeing from law enforcement from Illinois in Adams County and traveled into Missouri. Troopers began chasing the vehicle around 8:16 p.m. on Highway 36 near Hannibal.

MSHP’s Division of Drug and Crime Control is investigating the trooper-involved shooting.

Prange was charged with a misdemeanor in Audrain County on Dec. 29. He was charged with driving a vehicle on a highway without a license. An initial court appearance in that case is set for 9 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27.

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