Man charged with criminal driving in Douglas County – Alexandria Echo Press

— An Albany man has been charged with criminal driving, a felony, for:

resulting in a sheriff’s deputy suffering a concussion.

The indictment was filed on December 20 against 18-year-old Dominic Leo St. Marie to Douglas County District Court.

According to a probable cause statement, on November 24 at approximately 9 p.m., Douglas County dispatch received a report of a single-vehicle collision with the center barrier of westbound Interstate 94 in Douglas County.

The statement said a Douglas County sheriff’s deputy was located approximately 200 yards behind the crash site on the left shoulder of the road.

The deputy placed flares behind his squad car, effectively closing the lane, and although all squad cars on scene activated their emergency flashers, visibility was limited, the statement said.

The statement says that at approximately 9:47 p.m., Douglas County dispatch received a report that a deputy’s cruiser had been struck from behind by another vehicle.

The police officer immediately responded and observed a car in the middle of the road blocking both lanes and a group of men walking in the lanes, the statement reads.

The statement said the man was identified as St. Marie and stated that he “sees red dots on the road” but cannot see where the police car is.

The statement reads that St. Marie was traveling at approximately 70 miles per hour when the accident occurred.

In an interview with Mirandized St. Marie allegedly said that because it was snowing, he could only see about 10 meters in front of him, the affidavit said.

St. Marie reported seeing flares but couldn’t see far enough ahead to know which lane to avoid, so she had to guess, the statement said.

The statement reads that St. Marie swerved from the right lane into the left lane and allegedly stated that she had guessed wrong.

He also admitted that the roads were snowy and slippery at the time and that the weather had an impact on his visibility at the time of the accident, the statement said.

The statement says that despite the dangerous conditions in St. Marie was driving at speed on the interstate.

He allegedly said he slowed from 75 mph to 70 mph about 10 minutes before the crash, and slowed down a fraction just before the crash, the affidavit said.

The statement reads that St. Marie allegedly estimated his speed at 65 to 70 miles per hour at the time of impact.

St. Marie also reported seeing flares but not the emergency lights of police cars, and he only noticed the threat 10 meters before impact, the statement reads.

The statement says he denied any distractions and no bodily harm was suspected.

The sheriff’s deputy was diagnosed with a concussion as a result of the crash, the statement said.

Travis Gulbrandson represents several entities, including the Osakis School Board and the Osakis City Council, as well as the Brandon-Evansville School Board. His attention will also focus on criminal and judicial matters.