The Minnesota Star Tribune reported today that Michael Vanwager pled guilty on Monday, in Hennepin County District, to criminal vehicular homicide. On July 22, 2014, Vanwager hit another vehicle and stopped at the scene. But instead of exchanging information with the woman whose vehicle he hit, Vanwager took off and sped away at a high speed and subsequently hit another vehicle driven by 16-year-old Jason McCarthy. McCarthy died a week after the accident due to his injuries.
Michael Vanwager was arrested at the scene and was subsequently found to have a blood alcohol content of .29, over three-times the legal limit for a Minnesota DWI offense.
Minnesota Statute § 609.21, Subd. 1a(a) states that the statutory maximum sentence for criminal vehicular homicide is ten years in prison. The Minnesota Sentencing guidelines call for a recommended sentence of 48 months. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office is seeking the statutory maximum sentence claiming that, in this particular case, the aggravating circumstances of the high blood alcohol content and the fact that Vanwager was driving with a revoked license, justify a 10-year sentence.
Unless the Defendant has a fairly extensive criminal history, (not discussed in the article) the District Court is not likely to impose the statutory maximum but probably will depart upward from the recommended 48 month guideline sentence.
For answers to all of your Minnesota DWI and DUI questions, please call Minneapolis DWI Lawyer F. T. Sessoms at (612) 344-1505 today.