A northern Minnesota man with a history of drinking and driving has been charged with being intoxicated when he ran over and killed a 17-year-old girl on the Red Lake Indian Reservation in August.
An indictment unsealed Thursday in federal court in St. Paul charges Gordon D. Johnson, 46, of Ponemah, with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Kaishauna Sky Thunder, of Redby, Minn., on Aug. 19 along Hwy. 1.
After appearing in court Thursday, Johnson was ordered held without bail until another hearing Tuesday because "there is a serious risk that [the] defendant] will flee" and to "assure the safety of the community."
Johnson's criminal history in Minnesota includes two previous cases of drunken driving and three instances of being cited for driving after having his license revoked.
The indictment in Thunder's death alleges that Johnson was "operating a motor vehicle in a reckless manner, while under the influence of alcohol" when he ran over Thunder about 3 a.m.
If convicted, Johnson faces a potential maximum penalty of eight years in prison.
PAUL WALSH
