BROWN COUNTY, Minn. (FOX 9) - A woman is facing felony charges for allegedly driving drunk in a crash that killed two people in Brown County early on Aug. 29, according to criminal charges filed in Brown County Court.
Brown County fatal crash
What we know:
According to the charges, authorities responded to the crash at about 12:14 a.m. on County Road 13, just north of County Road 22, after Brown County Dispatch received an iPhone crash detection alert.
When deputies arrived, they found two heavily-damaged vehicles — a white Chevy Silverado on the northbound shoulder and a silver Oldsmobile on the southbound shoulder of the road.
The complaint states Shianne Lee Escobar, 27, was identified as the driver of the Silverado and was found standing outside the Oldsmobile. Deputies checked on the two people inside the Oldsmobile, and confirmed both had no pulse. Ambulance personnel were also dispatched to the scene.
The complaint states Escobar told deputies she was the only person in the Silverado and had been driving back to her home in Hanska after visiting a bar in New Ulm. She said she was unsure of what happened during the crash. When asked how much she had to drink, she told the deputy that was a question for her lawyer. She also said she was unsure when she last had an alcoholic drink because she did not know what time it was.
The complaint states throughout the conversation with deputies, Escobar had severely slurred speech. She initially complained of shoulder pain, but later reported pain in her chest, neck and spine before going unresponsive when EMS arrived. She was transported to New Ulm Medical Center.
Driver's condition and investigation
The backstory:
The complaint states ambulance personnel who transported Escobar reported an overwhelming odor of alcohol coming from her when she was placed in the ambulance. A witness later contacted deputies and described Escobar as heavily intoxicated before she left the bar that evening.
Escobar is now charged with two counts of causing the death of another person while operating a vehicle in a negligent manner while under the influence of alcohol.
Each count carries a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $20,000, or both.
What we don't know:
It is not yet clear what the blood test results showed or when Escobar is expected to appear in court. The identities of the two people who died have not been released.
The Source: Information was provided by criminal charges filed in Brown County Court.