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Crime & Safety

Police: Driver's Blood Alcohol Level Was Four Times Legal Limit At Time of Fatal Crash

Leah Marie Colwell, 44, of Lakeville remained in jail Monday afternoon after being charged in connection to last Thursday's crash that killed a Burnsville man.

The 44-year-old Lakeville woman charged in connection to last week’s crash on the Apple Valley-Lakeville border that killed a 29-year-old Burnsville man had a blood alcohol level that was four times the legal limit, published reports say.

A preliminary breath test administered to Leah Marie Colwell by police following Thursday's crash showed she had a blood alcohol level of 0.36.

That is a level that can lead to death in some people, says KARE11.com.

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Colwell, who was arrested by Apple Valley police at the scene of the crash, continued to be held at the Ramsey County women’s jail on Monday afternoon. Bail was set at $150,000.

Colwell made her first appearance in Dakota County District Court in Hastings on Friday. She was charged with felony criminal vehicular homicide while under the influence of alcohol, gross misdemeanor third-degree driving while impaired, gross misdemeanor driving after cancellation of a driver’s license and a misdemeanor open bottle violation.

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If convicted on all charges, Colwell is facing more than 11 years in jail and/or fines of about $25,000, says CBS Minnesota.

According to the criminal complaint filed Monday, Colwell was driving east on 160th Street at about 8 p.m. Thursday when she attempted to turn north on Harwell Avenue. The car turned into the path of a motorcycle driven by Jeffrey Richard Trondson of Burnsville. The motorcycle hit the passenger side of Colwell’s car.

Trondson died at the scene.

There were two passengers in Colwell’s car at the time of the crash. One of the passengers threw away two bottles of alcohol that had been in the car. Both bottles were recovered by police, published reports say.

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