A Lakeville man has been charged with criminal vehicular homicide and first-degree drunken driving in connection with a Dec. 28 crash on Interstate 35 near Elko New Market that killed an 18-year-old woman who was riding in the car.
The victim, Jordan Reigh Huver of Prior Lake, died at the scene. The defendant, Tyler David Henry, 29, fled on foot through the snow after the crash, according to the charges, filed last week in Scott County District Court.
Henry told a state trooper that he, Huver and another passenger, Quinten Watson, had been drinking at Watson's home in Lonsdale. Henry said he had had a "40" — a 40-ounce bottle of beer — and some "shots," but didn't remember how many shots he'd had or what time he stopped drinking.
"I don't even know who was driving," Henry told the trooper, the complaint said. A seat belt bruise across Henry's chest showed that he was the driver.
A blood test done at 5:15 a.m. that morning, about an hour and 45 minutes after the crash, showed Henry had a blood alcohol content of 0.09 percent. The legal limit for driving is 0.08 percent.
The complaint said it appeared that Henry's vehicle had swerved into the snow on the right shoulder of the freeway, corrected quickly back through the traffic lanes, then rolled multiple times. The vehicle had heavy damage to the front, rear and roof, and there was blood in the back seat and on the ground.
Watson told troopers that he had pulled Huver from the back seat after the crash. He and Henry also were injured in the crash.
Henry has been convicted of drunken driving in 2004, 2007 and 2009. State court records also said he has been convicted of a few minor drug offenses. His next court appearance is Jan. 30.
