Eight Seconds: One Fatal Distraction

It’s a story about eight seconds that forever changed the lives of two families. Eight seconds a distracted driver wishes he could take back.

In the video, Eight Seconds: One Fatal Distraction, Sam Hicks, a distracted driver who took the life of 54-year-old Robert Bursik on Feb. 27, 2018, talks for the first time about the lifetime of regret caused by the decision to look down at his phone while driving.

Hicks, who was on Highway 36, looked down at his phone for eight seconds when he received a text from his girlfriend at the time about a house listing. He says, “I do pray people learn from my mistake and avoid distracted driving!”

Bursik was a husband and father of three at the time he died. Bursik’s wife and daughter are also featured in the video.

Review the State Patrol's UAS Draft Policy

The Minnesota State Patrol has recently drafted a policy on Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) for investigating serious injury and fatal crash scenes. See the draft policy here. We are required by law to share this policy with the public. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the State Patrol at Gordon.Shank@state.mn.us.

Tire Damage Claims Process

​During the civil unrest in Minneapolis earlier this year, State Patrol troopers and officers from other law enforcement agencies strategically punctured the tires of some vehicles. This was done because vehicles were being used as dangerous weapons, threatening the safety of law enforcement and those who were protesting peacefully.

Vehicle owners who had their tires punctured and deflated by State Patrol troopers during riots in Minneapolis may be eligible for reimbursement.

More information is available in: English, Spanish, Somali and Hmong.