A man charged on Aug. 9 in the deaths of two other people is believed to have been intoxicated behind the wheel, according to authorities. Minneapolis police have charged the man with four counts of vehicular manslaughter and DWI for the deaths of two people, one of whom was the son of the University of Minnesota men’s hockey coach. It is not clear whether the man remains in police custody, though he is likely already focused on preparing his DWI defense.
What allegedly happened to cause the incident?
According to information gleaned from the vehicle’s airbag module, the 51-year-old man was driving between 94 and 99 mph on the night of July 24 when the accident happened. It appears he lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a wooded area near Lake Minnesota. His two passengers, a 20-year-old man and a 24-year-old man, were both killed in the crash. Police on the scene found the driver 10 feet in front of the car, injured but conscious.
Police say the man appeared intoxicated, allegedly admitted to drinking and apologizied to officers. A subsequent blood test apparently revealed the man’s blood alcohol content to be .175, over twice the legal amount. Staff at the hospital also found unidentified pills in the man’s pocket, as well as gummies believed to be THC infused. The man was arrested and charged, but so far, no court date has been publicly announced.
Help and support is available when facing serious charges
DWI defense can be a challenging field of law, as there are many contributing factors to consider. For example, in this case, the man’s blood alcohol level registered as too high to drive, but the man’s metabolism, weight and other biological factors can influence such tests, as can the passage of time. It will be up to the man’s defense counsel to take these factors into consideration before appearing before a Minnesota court.
