Man accused of driving impaired in Lafayette Tunnel crash that injured construction worker

TWO HARBORS, Minn. (FOX 9) - A 34-year-old Hartland, Wis. man is facing charges after allegedly hitting two construction workers while being in possession of Psilocybin mushrooms in connection with a crash on Highway 61 on the North Shore earlier this month.

Patches Magickbeans has been charged in Lake County Court with two counts of criminal vehicular operation causing great bodily harm, and second-degree possession of a controlled substance.

June 19 crash

The backstory:

According to the charges, a Lake County sheriff’s deputy and a state trooper were dispatched at about 3:47 p.m. on June 19 to a crash at the Lafayette Tunnel on Highway 61. When authorities arrived, they found a scissor lift with heavy damage and a van flipped on its side. Authorities determined the van was registered to Magickbeans.

The complaint states an off-duty police officer witnessed the crash and had dash camera footage. He told authorities he was driving northbound behind the van, which was weaving and swerving, hit a curb and several construction cones before hitting the scissor lift. The van then hit the tunnel and rolled multiple times. Magickbeans showed signs of impairment at the scene.

The complaint states authorities at the scene saw a construction worker on the ground bleeding from the nose and mouth, and is still hospitalized with critical, life-threatening injuries.

The complaint states a second construction worker told authorities they were on a scissor lift working to repair a light. He heard the cones getting hit, and saw a van moving really fast in their direction.

Drugs in Magickbeans’ van

What we know:

The complaint states while extricating Magickbeans from the van, rescue workers removed items from the vehicle. Among them was a plastic food storage container with two plastic bags that had suspected Psilocybin mushrooms. Authorities weighed them to about 89.5 grams.

Magickbeans admits to mushroom use

What they're saying:

The complaint states two days later, a state trooper met with Magickbeans. He told the trooper he didn’t remember the construction zone. The last thing he remembered was driving in Cloquet. He said he didn’t drink or do drugs the day of the crash. When asked about the mushrooms, Magickbeans told authorities he forages them for himself. He said he had a small one the day before, along with an edible. He said nothing would be in his blood, and he didn’t know why he would’ve hit the construction workers.

Magickbeans was taken into custody.