Mother charged in deadly Maplewood crash: 'My baby was under the car'
Photo taken from a MnDOT traffic camera shows police responding to a crash that left a baby dead. (Supplied)
MAPLEWOOD, Minn. (FOX 9) - A St. Paul mother tested more than two times over the limit after a deadly drunk driving crash in Maplewood on Saturday that claimed the life of her baby, a criminal complaint alleges.
Deadly Maplewood crash
The backstory:
Over the weekend, FOX 9 reported that a baby had been killed in a rollover crash along Highway 36 in Maplewood on Saturday evening. A Minnesota State Patrol incident report said the driver was taking an exit ramp at Highway 61 at a high speed when she lost control and rolled into a swamp.
The crash left the driver's Tahoe upside down, partially submerged in water. Inside the Tahoe, a 1-year-old baby, Revon Melvin Anthony Todd, was killed, troopers said. Two other young boys, ages 5 and 6, and a 32-year-old passenger were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Alcohol was reported as a factor in the crash.
What we know:
On Monday, the mother was charged in the wreck. Twenty-eight-year-old Rachale Peloquin faces a count of criminal vehicular homicide.
‘I never get a f---ing break’
Big picture view:
The criminal complaint details the efforts of first responders who tried to save the baby. When troopers arrived, they say "frantic emergency services personnel" told them a child was trapped under the SUV.
The Maplewood Fire Department rushed to use hydraulic tools to lift the Tahoe. As crews worked, Peloquin was hysterical and screaming, begging the emergency crews to "save my baby." Sadly, the 1-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene.
What they're saying:
Speaking with troopers, Peloquin said she was taking the children to their grandmother's house so she could enjoy some free time.
"I'm a single mom and I don't get a f---ing break," Peloquin told troopers, according to the complaint. "I don't get a break."
Troopers said they could smell "an overwhelming odor of alcohol" on Peloquin's breath. When asked what happened, troopers say Peloquin told them: "I don't know. I lost control of the f---ing wheel and – it spun the f--- out and my baby was under the car. It was slippery from the f---ing rain."
She later added, "My f---ing wheels are like a little bit f---ing bald."
Mom admits to drinking
Dig deeper:
Troopers say they found empty Fireball shooter bottles on the road along the Tahoe's path. Peloquin admitted to drinking the night before, troopers said. According to the complaint, Peloquin also admitted to smoking cannabis earlier in the day. According to the criminal complaint, Peloquin blew a 0.172 blood-alcohol content in initial testing.
Later, troopers obtained MnDOT traffic camera video that showed the Tahoe driving poorly before the crash.
The other side:
After being medically cleared, Peloquin was transported to the Ramsey County Jail. On the way to jail, troopers say Peloquin changed her story, claiming the 32-year-old passenger in the Tahoe was actually the one who had been driving.
According to the complaint, Peloquin claimed she only initially took responsibility for the crash because it was her truck.