Peter Bodley
Anoka County Union

A man pleaded guilty in Anoka County District Court Monday, his scheduled trial date, to one of two grand jury indictments in the death of Lino Lakes Police Officer Shawn Silvera, a Forest Lake resident, in early September 2005.

In a plea agreement, Steven Douglas Stanke, 34, no permanent address, entered guilty pleas to fleeing police in a motor vehicle resulting in death as well as to felony criminal vehicular operation.

A first-degree murder indictment for intentionally killing a police officer was dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

The agreement also calls for Stanke to serve a minimum of 37 years and nine months in prison.

But that sentence could be increased by Judge Michael Roith if he finds aggravating factors from the testimony that will continue through Wednesday from witnesses to the crash.

Earlier this summer, Roith denied a motion to dismiss the indictments when defense counsel challenged the process used by prosecutors for obtaining the indictments.

Stanke had waived his right to a jury trial, instead opting for Roith to make the decision. Then came his guilty plea.

Stanke, who struck and killed Silvera while driving a stolen vehicle on I-35W, had outstanding felony warrants from South Dakota.

The vehicle he was driving, a 1996 Chevrolet Beretta, had been stolen in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Law enforcement agencies initially tried to stop Stanke in Chisago County, traveling southbound on I-35, about 5 p.m. Sept. 6, 2005.

In testimony to the court Monday associated with his guilty pleas, Stanke admitted he had injected methamphetamine into his arm while driving at a high speed during the pursuit and also to talking on his cell phone.

He also admitted to driving at speeds between 90 and 110 mph.

According to the complaint, Silvera deployed ìstop sticksî in the left lane of southbound I-35W near CR-23 in Lino Lakes in an effort to stop the vehicle.

The ìstop sticksî were placed in the left southbound lane and Silvera retreated to the left roadway shoulder and median crossover between the north and southbound lanes of the freeway. The emergency lights on his squad car were activated.

But the complaint states that Stanke steered the Beretta to the left, crossing the left southbound lane and drove directly at Silvera, striking and killing him.

There were no vehicles in the path of the Beretta in either lane when it was turned at Silvera, the complaint stated.

Silveraís body was thrown some 280 feet from where he was struck.

The Beretta then traveled southbound in the northbound lanes of I-35W and struck a Dodge Caravan, injuring the driver, a 39-year-old Wisconsin man.

Both the van driver and another Lino Lakes police officer, who was parked nearby, saw the Beretta turn toward and strike Silvera, the complaint states.

In a statement to police after his arrest, Stanke said he knew he hit the police officer, that he was being chased by police and that he had warrants out for his arrest from South Dakota.

Silvera began his law enforcement career as a community service officer with the Coon Rapids Police Department for four years before joining the Lino Lakes Police Department in 1997.

Peter Bodley is at peter.bodley@ecm-inc.com

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