Charges: Driver snorted cocaine before crashing into Lake Street bus shelter

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(Hennepin County Jail)

The man who drove his car into a Minneapolis bus shelter Sunday night after allegedly snorting cocaine, injuring three people, is now facing three charges in connection with the crash.  

Michael Boucher, 40, of Minneapolis was charged with two felony counts of criminal vehicular operation and one misdemeanor count of the same charge. 

The crash occurred shortly after 8:30 p.m. at the bus shelter on Lake Street at 22nd Avenue. Surveillance video shows Boucher slam into another vehicle prior to the crash, then swerve and smash into the bus shelter. 

According to the charges, Boucher did not hit the brakes at any point during the collision until one second before striking the bus shelter. After hitting pedestrians and the shelter, Boucher continued to drive across a nearby driveway and through a business complex before coming to a stop. 

When police found him, Boucher was digging under the seat of his vehicle. Officers found several hypodermic needles around the crash vehicle. He was taken into custody. 

In an interview with police, Boucher admitted to snorting “six lines of cocaine” while at a party that morning, the charges say. He also said he had smoked marijuana.

Boucher reiterated several times that he had a coughing fit that caused him to lose consciousness while driving. He said when he regained consciousness, he was about to rear-end another vehicle, so he swerved and hit the bus shelter, but a passenger in his car at the time of the crash denied that story. 

Boucher was driving on a revoked driver’s license at the time of the crash. 

Three people were injured in the crash. One of the victims had to have one of his legs amputated due to the severity of the damage. He also suffered a depressed skull fracture, a blown pupil and abdominal bleeding. 

Another victim was found at a nearby restaurant with a laceration on his face that was bleeding profusely. He was taken to the hospital and had to be intubated due to his chest injuries. He remains unconscious, intubated and in critical condition. 

A third victim was found next to the bus shelter with a puncture wound to his upper abdomen as well as injuries to his legs, hands, hip and elbow. He was transported to the hospital.