Faribault head-on crash: Owatonna man charged with drunk driving
FARIBAULT, Minn. (FOX 9) - A head-on crash in Faribault left two people hurt and a driver facing felony charges, according to a criminal complaint filed in Rice County District Court.
Driver blew .349 BAC
What we know:
According to the complaint, law enforcement responded around 2:38 p.m. Monday, Aug. 10, to a crash in Faribault at Riverchase Court and Willow Street. Officers found a 2019 Subaru, driven by Jacob Charles Boyd, facing southbound in the northbound lanes after a head-on collision with a 2017 Cadillac.
Police say the Subaru crossed the centerline and hit the Cadillac, which had two people inside. Both cars had disabling damage and blocked traffic. Boyd, along with the Cadillac’s driver and passenger, were treated by EMS at the scene. Officers found multiple open containers of alcohol in Boyd’s car. Police say Boyd had bloodshot eyes and was making incoherent statements.
The complaint states he denied drinking, blaming his appearance on allergies, but officers reported smelling alcohol on his breath. Boyd told police he last drank at 3 a.m. and said he "looked away for one second" before the crash. Police did not conduct field sobriety tests due to Boyd’s claim of a possible head injury, but a preliminary breath test showed a result of 0.349, more than four times the legal limit for driving in Minnesota.
The complaint states Boyd was arrested and taken to the hospital for a blood draw, which was sent for further testing. The Cadillac’s driver, identified as B.J.S., had a bleeding forehead, a bloody finger, chest pain and seatbelt marks. The passenger, L.A.S., told officers her ribs and sternum were broken and she was undergoing more tests.
The charges state Boyd is already under court supervision in Steele County with a condition of no alcohol use.
The charges Boyd faces
Why you should care:
Boyd is charged with four counts, including felony criminal vehicular operation resulting in substantial bodily harm, gross misdemeanor criminal vehicular operation causing bodily harm, misdemeanor DWI and misdemeanor open bottle law violation. If convicted on the felony charge, Boyd could face up to three years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
The gross misdemeanor charge carries up to 364 days in jail and a $3,000 fine, while the misdemeanors each carry up to 90 days and a $1,000 fine.
What we don't know:
The results of Boyd’s hospital blood draw are still pending. The current medical status of the two people injured in the Cadillac has not been updated. No further details have been released about Boyd’s prior case in Steele County.
The Source: Information from a criminal complaint filed by the Rice County Attorney’s Office.