A 77-year-old woman has been charged with two misdemeanor counts in connection with a crash last year that killed a Lakeville man and severely injured his wife, according to Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom.

Donna May Rollins of Lakeville has been charged with one count each of careless driving and failure to yield in the Oct. 16, 2010, crash in Eureka Township. Killed in the crash was Ricky Dean Ball, 62, of Lakeville. His wife, Nancy Ball, 61, was severely injured. Both were riding motorcycles.

Authorities said the crash happened on Cedar Avenue south of 230th Street. The Balls were riding south on Cedar when a car going north tried to turn into a driveway and crossed their path.

Rollins was charged by summons and her first court appearance will be within the next month in Hastings.

A criminal complaint alleges that Rollins made a left turn into the driveway and hit the motorcycle driven by Ricky Ball. Nancy Ball's motorcycle then hit Rollins' vehicle.

Both motorcycle drivers were thrown from their vehicles upon impact. Ricky Ball was pronounced dead at the scene. His wife was taken to Regions Hospital in St. Paul.

"Our deepest sympathy is extended to the family of Ricky Ball for their great loss and we hope that Nancy Ball continues to recover from her serious injuries," Backstrom said Wednesday in a statement.

He said that because alcohol or drugs were not involved in the crash, and gross negligence could not be proven, the misdemeanor offenses were the maximum his office could charge.

Backstrom said he has been seeking legislation to increase the penalty for negligent driving resulting in death to a gross misdemeanor.

Heron Marquez • 952-707-9994