Apr 2, 2009 6:30 pm US/Central
Pregnant Woman Sent Text Minutes Before Crash
(WCCO)
-
-
Jamie Baer, 22, of Crystal, Minn. died several weeks after the Ford Mustang her friend was driving rolled on Interstate 94 east of Highway 101.
CBS
-
-
Frank Tregoning, 21, has been booked in the Hennepin County Jail for criminal vehicular homicide.
Hennepin County Jail
It's been seven months since an Otsego man crashed his car on a highway and killed a passenger. On Thursday, Frank Tregoning was charged with one count of criminal vehicular homicide and two counts of criminal vehicular operation.
Jaime Baer, 22, of Crystal was a passenger in the car and she was six months pregnant. Doctors performed an emergency C-section. The baby is OK but Baer died 24 days after giving birth.
Her mother said Baer's family has waited a long time for this day.
"It's turned our family upside down," said Kari Palashewski, Baer's mother.
The crash happened on Interstate 94 and Highway 101 in Rogers, around 11:30 p.m. on Aug. 21, 2008.
According to the criminal complaint, Frank Tregoning was going at least 100 mph when he flipped his sports car. Tregoning survived the crash.
Baer had to be cut free from her seatbelt. EMTs said she was bleeding badly from her head. She died weeks later.
On Thursday it was released that Baer sent several text messages before the crash, one saying "I'm going 160 with a drunk driver - Going to die."
"It was so hard because my daughter and I found those messages," said Baer's mother.
Prosecutors said it took seven months to charge Tregoning in the crash because reconstruction and DNA tests took longer than normal.
Those test showed that his blood alcohol was .10, which is above the legal limit. The test also showed he had marijuana and morphine in his system.
The baby Baer delivered the night of the crash, who was named Angel, was about four months premature and is being cared for by Baer's parents.
Angel still suffers from serious health complications including a head deformity and problems with her eyes and heart.
Kelsey Palmer, 22, was also in the car at the time of the crash. She had a long, deep cut on her arm. She said she still suffers from depression.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Pawlenty Focuses On Health Care In Iowa Speech 46 mins ago
Stumble It!
Reporting
