Coon Rapids man was 3 times legal limit in fatal Ham Lake crash: Charges

ANOKA, Minn. (FOX 9) - A 37-year-old Coon Rapids man is accused of driving drunk with a blood alcohol level more than three times the legal limit in a crash Monday in Anoka that left a 51-year-old woman from Ham Lake dead.

Fatal crash in Anoka

The charges:

Zachary Scott Lee Wydella is facing two counts of criminal vehicular homicide for operating a vehicle with negligence while under the influence of alcohol, and operating a motor vehicle with an alcohol concentration of 0.8 or more. 

The backstory:

According to the criminal complaint, on March 10, Anoka police were called to a two-vehicle accident on North Street. When officers arrived, they found Wydella in a Toyota Sienna facing eastbound in the westbound lane and regaining consciousness.

Officers also located the other driver, Ann Marie Moore, who was unconscious and not breathing. She was trapped in her vehicle, which had heavy front-end damage, charges said. First responders arrived and pronounced Moore dead at the scene.

Authorities spoke with Wydella, who reportedly smelled of alcohol, had bloodshot eyes and slurred speech. Charges stated that officers also reported seeing an open box of wine underneath the passenger seat that was partially empty, along with a cup that contained red wine. The cup had spilled and was on the driver-side door, the complaint alleges. 

Wydella was taken to a hospital to be treated for injuries, and a test showed he had a blood alcohol content of 0.246, more than three times the legal limit for driving in Minnesota, according to the complaint.

Authorities say their investigation shows Wydella’s speed and intoxication were both factors in the crash.

What's next:

Wydella made his first appearance in court on Thursday morning, where a judge set his bail at $400,000 without conditions and $150,000 with conditions. 

He remains in custody at the Anoka County Jail.