Park Tavern deadly patio crash: Steven Bailey sentenced in drunken incident

Park Tavern deadly crash: Steven Bailey sentenced

Steven Bailey was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his involvement in the deadly Park Tavern crash in September 2024.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The drunk driver who plowed into the patio at Park Tavern in St. Louis Park, leaving two people dead and at least a dozen injured, was sentenced on Monday to 30 years in prison. 

Park Tavern crash: Victims speak at sentencing

Steven Bailey was sentenced Monday for his involvement in the deadly Park Tavern crash in St.. Louis Park in September 2024. Victims and representatives of victims spoke during the sentencing.

Sentencing in deadly crash

What we know:

Steven Bailey, 57, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in the fatal Park Tavern crash that occurred in September 2024.

Bailey received 180 months for each count of third-degree murder, to be served consecutively.  He received 43 days credit for time already served. 

Bailey pleaded guilty in May to two counts of third-degree murder and three counts of criminal vehicular operation. 

What they're saying:

"Our thoughts are with Gabe and Kristina’s families today, along with all who were injured or affected by Mr. Bailey’s senseless actions, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said. "He is being held accountable, and the length of this sentence ensures he cannot hurt anyone else. This was yet another completely avoidable tragedy. Plenty of options exist to get where you need to go safely; there is no excuse for drinking and driving."

"After many months, the sentencing of Steven Bailey brings a dark chapter in our community to a close. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of the victims of the Park Tavern tragedy, but I hope today offers some closure to them. While we cannot change what happened, we have taken steps that I hope will prevent anything like this from happening in the future in any community in Minnesota," Senator Ron Latz (DFL-St. Louis Park) said in a statement. 

GRAPHIC WARNING: Video shows Park Tavern crash

Video of the deadly Park Tavern crash was shown during the sentencing of Steven Bailey Monday. FOX 9 chose to stop the video before impact. Warning, this video shows graphic content.

Deadly Park Tavern crash: What happened?

The backstory:

Authorities said Bailey tested more than four times over the limit, with a blood-alcohol level of 0.325, after he crashed into Park Tavern's patio space in September 2024.

Video showed Bailey driving his vehicle, attempting to back into a parking spot, but hitting another car. Then, as he pulled out of the spot, police say the vehicle accelerated into the patio area, where a group of Methodist Hospital workers had gathered for the night.

The victims:

Two people were killed in the crash: Park Tavern server Kristina Folkerts and Methodist Hospital employee Gabe Harvey. At least a dozen people were injured, including four Methodist nurses: Theo Larson, Tegan D’Albani, Laura Knutsen and Eric Schefers.

Charging documents also showed Bailey lived within walking distance of the Park Tavern.

Remembering the Park Tavern crash victims

Kristina Folkerts, one of the victims of the fatal crash at Park Tavern in St. Louis Park, Minn., had a deep, lifelong connection to Park Tavern where she worked as a server, that FOX 9 had previously profiled.

The charges against Bailey

Charges filed:

After the crash, Bailey initially faced two counts of criminal vehicular homicide and nine counts of criminal vehicular operation. However, a month after the crash, the Hennepin County Attorney's Office upgraded the charges against Bailey, adding two counts of third-degree murder.

Later, prosecutors added three more counts of criminal vehicular operation for three injured victims, while upgrading two previous criminal vehicle operation counts from causing "substantial bodily harm" to causing "great bodily harm."

Dig deeper:

Court records showed Bailey had at least five prior drunk driving convictions on his record before the Park Tavern crash.

• Bailey was arrested in Sept. 1985 for driving under the influence in Wisconsin. Bailey was just 17 years old at the time.
• Bailey was arrested again in Dec. 1992 for driving under the influence in Wabasha County.
• His third arrest came in Nov. 1997 in Hennepin County.
• In 2013, Bailey was arrested for drunk driving in Waseca. He ultimately pleaded guilty in the case.
• A year later, and just a few months after pleading guilty in the first case, Bailey was arrested in Plymouth for drunk driving, driving with a canceled license, and careless driving. He ultimately pleaded guilty to the DWI charge while the other counts were dismissed.

Steven Bailey pleads guilty to murder in Park Tavern crash

Steven Bailey will face between 25 and 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of third-degree murder and three counts of criminal vehicular operation. FOX 9's Rob Olson has the full story.