The Hopkins man whose car collided with one driven by an Eden Prairie man in Shakopee on June 21, killing him, has been charged with two counts of felony criminal vehicular homicide in Scott County District Court.
The crash killed Charlie Alleman, 19, of Eden Prairie.
The driver, Jacob Austin Lederer, 26, admitted to police that he drank several alcoholic beverages at Turtles Bar in Shakopee minutes before getting into his car and heading east on Highway 101.
Witnesses told police that Lederer’s Mitsubishi Outlander passed them on the highway at speeds estimated at between 85 and 90 mph, according to charging documents.
Alleman was making a left-hand turn from Highway 101 onto Valley Park Drive just before midnight June 21, when Lederer’s vehicle slammed into his Volkswagen Golf, the charges said.
Witnesses approached Lederer’s vehicle and were able to cut his seatbelt and remove him. He was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC).
Police arriving on the scene of the accident observed several people assisting Lederer after the accident and a strong odor of alcohol on his breath. An initial test showed a blood alcohol concentration of .13.
Results of a blood draw taken at HCMC are pending, according to the charges.
Other witnesses were unable to extricate Alleman from his vehicle, which had caught fire.
Count I of the charges accuses Lederer of driving with an alcohol concentration of .08 or higher within two hours of driving. The second count charges him with operating a vehicle with negligence while under the influence of alcohol.
If convicted, Lederer faces maximum sentences of 10 years in prison for each count and/or a $20,000 fine for each count.
Comments
We offer several ways for our readers to provide feedback. Your comments are welcome on our social media posts (Facebook, X, Instagram, Threads, and LinkedIn). We also encourage Letters to the Editor; submission guidelines can be found on our Contact Us page. If you believe this story has an error or you would like to get in touch with the author, please connect with us.