Understanding Minnesota Criminal Vehicular Homicide Cases
A Minnesota man was recently convicted of criminal vehicular homicide and multiple other felonies following a tragic DWI incident. The crash, which involved a snowmobile, resulted in the death of an 8-year-old boy and led to lawmakers revising Minnesota’s DWI laws to address off-road driving loopholes.
The accident apparently took place when the boy was putting up a portable ice house with his dad. The man suddenly struck the rear of the family’s pickup truck with his snowmobile. The pickup then hit the boy and dragged him over the surface of a frozen lake.
Police reported that the man also struck the ice house and ended up hitting the boy’s dad as well. The boy’s death moved lawmakers to revise Minnesota laws on driving while intoxicated. Their efforts closed a loophole that previously allowed people to engage in off-road driving even after they had been convicted of driving while intoxicated in motor vehicles.
If someone in Minnesota is charged with felonies, it is within his or her right to go to trial to fight the serious accusations. At trial, no conviction can occur until and unless the prosecution proves the charges by competent evidence that is found to be beyond a reasonable doubt. An attorney will scrutinize the prosecution’s evidence and look for legal and/or factual issues to address in court, in addition to managing media coverage in a manner that will seek to protect the defendant’s right to a fair trial. The attorney will strive to ensure that the client’s rights and best interests are protected during each stage of the criminal proceedings.