Fergus Falls woman dies in head-on crash, man charged after drinking alcohol with medications
Image shared by the Walmart Fergus Falls shows the store paying tribute to Basro, who was killed in a crash. (FOX 9)
OTTER TAIL CO., Minn. (FOX 9) - A Fergus Falls man is facing criminal vehicular homicide charges after a head-on crash took the life of a 51-year-old woman.
Jacob Lee Thatcher, 25, reportedly told police he drank alcohol before the crash, adding that he's a "lightweight" because of the medications he takes.
The woman killed in the crash, Basro Hassan Abokar, 51, is being remembered for her "kindness" by her coworkers.
Fatal Fergus Falls head-on crash
What we know:
The Minnesota State Patrol (MSP) reports the crash happened at about 4:50 p.m. on Sept. 6 when two vehicles crashed head-on in Erhards Grove Township in Otter Tail County.
A southbound Volkswagen Passat driven by Thatcher collided with a northbound Buick Regal driven by Abokar near milepost 235 on Highway 59.
Road conditions were described by the state patrol as wet at the time of the crash.
What they're saying:
The criminal complaint, filed in Otter Tail County Court, shows that a Minnesota state trooper found Abokar dead at the scene of the crash.
A witness, according to the complaint, told the trooper that she was driving in front of Thatcher's vehicle, which was weaving outside lane lines and almost went into the ditch. She said she then saw Thatcher's vehicle swerve head-on into the Buick from her rearview mirror.
The trooper then spoke to Thatcher at the hospital, who reportedly admitted to speeding, swerving because of unbalanced tires and bad calipers on the vehicle as well as drining a "shooter" of 99-proof liquor before the crash.
The complaint states Thatcher also said he takes medications that make him a "lightweight" with alcohol. Thatcher reportedly added "he was not drunk, it was just not a good mix with his medications."
Thatcher added that he smoked marijuana from a THC pen that was found in his vehicle the night before. The trooper noted Thatcher's eyes were bloodshot as they spoke, according to the complaint.
Thatcher also told the trooper he did not have the money to fix the problems with his vehicle, and that it began a "death wobble" vibration that made it hard to control. He also "became impatient" with the vehicle in front of him going too slow, and that he was going to pass it when he struck the other vehicle head-on, the complaint states.
What we don't know:
The complaint states that a state trooper obtained a search warrant for a blood sample from Thatcher, but the results of that sample were not available.
Details on the medications he was taking were not shared.
Dig deeper:
Basro Hassan Abokar is remembered by her coworkers at the Fergus Falls Walmart, who shared this statement on their social media page:
"We are deeply saddened by the unexpected passing of our coworker, Basro.
"She was a valued part of our team, and her presence, kindness, and the memories she shared with those around her will always be remembered.
"Our deepest condolences go out to her family, friends, and everyone who knew and loved her during this incredibly difficult time.
"Please keep her loved ones and our team in your thoughts during this difficult time."
The Source: This story uses information from a criminal complaint filed in Otter Tail County Jail.