BLOOMINGTON, MN — A Roseville man faces two counts of criminal vehicular homicide after authorities say he was drunk when he tried to make a U-turn on Interstate 494 in Bloomington and set off a crash that killed a Shakopee man.
Charges were filed Wednesday against Seth Rylee Timmers, 25, in connection with the June 13 wreck near Highway 100. Investigators say the crash happened around 4:20 a.m. in the westbound lanes.
How the crash unfolded
According to the criminal complaint, Timmers was driving a Honda CR-V when he attempted the U-turn and moved into traffic. Vernon Chu, 64, of Shakopee, struck Timmers’ vehicle on the driver’s side.
A FedEx driver also traveling westbound then hit the back of Chu’s vehicle, court records state. Chu was ejected from the driver’s side door and was later pronounced dead.
Signs of impairment
First responders wrote that Timmers appeared confused about where he was while being removed from his crashed vehicle. They also reported bloodshot, watery eyes, dilated pupils and the odor of alcohol.
The complaint says Timmers admitted he had been drinking. A preliminary breath test showed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.141, according to the filing.
Court case moves ahead
Timmers is not in custody. Authorities have issued a nationwide warrant for his arrest as the case proceeds.
The charges allege that his decision to turn around in moving traffic and drive after drinking led to the deadly chain reaction on the freeway.
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