Minnesota: Officials say had driver lived, she would have been charged DWI Murder of band of boozing brothers

dui-reportDrunk-02

 

 

 

 

Winona County DWI arrest bookings reported by Sheriff Dave Brand

Bingold, Alanson Dale, 02-19-1990, Traffic – DWI – Driving while impaired crime,03-03-2014 09:46, SENTENCED

Hayes, Christopher Michael, 05-29-1978, 03-22-2014 12:39, SENTENCED, Traffic – DWI – Operate Motor Vehicle – Alcoh

WINONA, Minn. (WXOW) — 04/24/2014 – After completing an investigation of a fatal SUV crash that claimed four lives in Winona Jan. 5, law enforcement announced Monday they will not be filing any criminal charges.

Winona County Sheriff Dave Brand and County Attorney Karin Sonneman discussed details of the investigation at a news conference Monday in Winona.

“Because the driver, Christina Hauser, died in the crash, no criminal charges can be brought against her,” Sonneman said, adding she would have likely been charged with drunk driving and vehicular homicide.

According to their report, Hauser, 36, of Winona, had a blood alcohol level of 0.168 at the time she crashed an SUV through a guardrail on Riverview Drive into the icy Mississippi River.

Hauser was driving at least 49 mph in a 30 mph zone, according to the report.

Also riding in the SUV was Matthew Patrick Erickson, 29, of Chatfield, Blake Overland, 28, of Stewartville, and Andrew Kingsbury, 29, of La Crosse.

While no criminal charges are pending, a civil suit filed by families of the victims is possible, Brand said. Those suits could target the taverns serving the victims and/or Hauser’s family.

When search crews recovered the vehicle Jan. 5, Hauser and Erickson’s bodies were found inside, seat-belted in.

Divers found Overland’s body in the river the following day.

It took an intense two-week search with divers from across the region to recover Kingsbury. Underwater Sonar cameras played a large role, according to Brand.

“It only took a minute to two ….MORE

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