A man from Florissant, Missouri named Caleb L Campbell has been sentenced to life imprisonment plus thirteen years for causing the death of police officer Brian Pierce Jr. The incident occurred in August 2021, when Campbell was found guilty of first-degree murder in December 2021.

According to the State’s Attorney of Madison County, Illinois, Campbell was driving at a high speed of up to 98 mph and attempting to evade the police. Officer Pierce was hit and killed while he was on the bridge, trying to place a spike strip on the road. The State’s Attorney, Tom Haine, stated that there is no sentence that can give the family and loved ones of Officer Pierce a sense of justice.

Assistant State’s Attorney Lauren Maricle argued that the lengthy sentence was necessary to send a message. She argued that if you end up killing someone after running from the police, “you’re guilty of murder, and you’ll go to prison for a long time.”

In a victim impact statement, Tammy Pierce, Officer Pierce’s mom, said, “You murdered an innocent man to save your own butt. Was it worth it?”