A car accident in Coons Rapids resulted in the death of a young woman after the driver of the vehicle is believed to have been drinking before getting behind the wheel of the car and crashing into an empty vehicle.
The young woman was his passenger and now, according to the Anoka County Attorney’s Office, he has been charged with criminal vehicular homicide.
The man admitted to police that he had been drinking and a breath test further proved this when he blew a blood alcohol level of .165. He was immediately housed in the Anoka County jail and held on $100,000 bail with an April 6 court date.
The father of the young female victim and her sisters told one local news station that the young victim been in a relationship with the man for 10 years and that they had two children. This tragedy has led to the family urging individuals throughout the Twin Cities and beyond to not drink and drive.
The family of the victim says that she was a caregiver for the elderly and others in need, but her two children were her life and she put everything she could into taking care of them.
They also said that the driver of the vehicle, the victim’s boyfriend, was a hard worker who made ends meet. However, he made the poor decision of driving while drunk and that changed his life, ended the life of the victim, changed the lives of the family, and ultimately change the lives of their children who are now left motherless.
It was on Coons Rapids Highway where the man hit a car that was parked on the shoulder.
At this time, the family is not talking about taking civil legal action against the man. Instead, they say they have no hatred toward him and they forgive him. The main reason behind their forgiveness is for the children because they have essentially lost both of their parents.
If an establishment was behind the illegal serving of alcohol to the man, such as serving although he was obviously intoxicated, the family could hold them liable if they desire to do so. Where he was drinking has not publicly been specified.
Nonetheless, the family is hoping that a drunk driving accident such as this doesn’t happen to another family like it has theirs. They are urging others to not take the “it won’t happen to me” approach and get a designated driver to drive them home of they are drinking. The family thought something like this would never happen to them, but they say now they are dealing with it.
The man is facing a criminal vehicular homicide charge, which could result in 10 years in prison. The children are being cared for by the victim’s mother.