Jury convicts man for fatal drunken crash
PARK RAPIDS - A Hubbard County jury convicted a man here on 11 charges for a drunken collision that killed a 52-year-old woman and injured her daughter and grandchild.
Dean James Roehler, 23, of Park Rapids was driving from Moondance Jam near Walker to Park Rapids on July 14, 2011, when he crossed the centerline of Highway 34 and struck a minivan driven by Patricia Ann Borman.
The jury found Roehler guilty Wednesday on three counts of criminal vehicle homicide, six counts of criminal vehicle injury and two counts of drunken driving.
Hubbard County Attorney Donovan Dearstyne prosecuted the case with help from Assistant County Attorney Jonathan D. Frieden.
Roehler is in custody pending sentencing. A hearing has been set for Sept. 4.
Court papers in the case state Roehler was intoxicated on a combination of alcohol and a powerful sedative called Midazolam at the time of the accident.
Borman of Backus died at the scene. Borman's daughter and grandchild received non-life threatening injuries, according to the State Patrol.
Both drivers required extrication. Roehler was severely injured and airlifted to a Fargo hospital.
His alcohol content was initially listed as 0.05 percent, but a blood test later indicated a 0.095 percent at the time of the accident and a 0.086 percent upon arrival at the hospital two hours later.
