Second Felony Charge Filed in Connection With Rochester Teen’s Death
Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - Olmsted County prosecutors have added a second count of criminal vehicular homicide to the criminal complaint against a Rochester man accused of driving drunk and speeding when he caused the crash earlier this year that claimed the life of a local teenager.
Both of the felony charges against 35-year-old Sterling Haukom involve operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. The criminal complaint against him indicates he told investigators he had consumed about 15 drinks at a Rochester bar and a blood test put his blood-alcohol-concentration at .25, or more than three times the legal limit.
He also faces a gross misdemeanor DWI charge and is accused of speeding down a residential street just before his pickup truck smashed into a car at the intersection of 12th Street and 8th Avenue Southeast near the Lincoln K-8 School. The driver of the car, 18-year-old Erika Cruz, was fatally injured.
Haukom has yet to enter a plea to the new charge. His trial had been scheduled to begin next week, but it has now been postponed. Olmsted County prosecutors recently filed a request with the court that gave notice of their intent to seek an aggravated sentence against Haukom.
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