A 20-year-old man had about 10 alcoholic drinks before he traveled the wrong way on Interstate 394 and killed another motorist in a head-on collision, according to charges filed Tuesday.
Charges: Man, 20, had 10 drinks before causing wrong-way crash on I-394 that killed other driver
Troopers asked him whether he knew he was driving the wrong way. He responded, "Sorry bro," the criminal complaint said.
Joseph P. Maness of St. Anthony was charged in Hennepin County District Court with criminal vehicular homicide and criminal vehicular operation in connection with the crash before dawn Friday that killed Alan A. Caraveo, 30, of Melrose, Minn.
Maness was released from jail Tuesday night on $150,000 bond and is due back in court on March 23. A message was left with his attorney seeking a response to the allegations.
Maness started heading west in his SUV on eastbound I-394 at 6th Street in downtown Minneapolis before colliding with Caraveo's eastbound car, the State Patrol said. He was treated for injuries and then jailed shortly before 8:30 a.m., the patrol said.
A 21-year-old woman in Caraveo's car, Neyvia Irias, was taken to HCMC with noncritical injuries, the patrol said. The charges elaborated that Irias suffered broken facial bones and internal bleeding.
According to the criminal complaint:
Troopers arrived at the crash scene on I-394 near the Plymouth Road exit and spoke with Maness, whose breath smelled of alcohol. His eyes were bloodshot and watery.
The troopers asked Maness whether he knew he was driving the wrong way, and he responded, "Sorry bro," the complaint said.
Maness acknowledged having 10 drinks in the time before the crash. A preliminary breath test revealed a blood-alcohol content of .207%, more than 2½ times the legal limit for a driver 21 years or older.
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