A Red Wing man slammed into a disabled SUV on Interstate 94 while using TikTok on his phone, killing the driver as other drivers managed to avoid the stopped car, according to charges.
Jordan Thomas Land, 34, is charged with criminal vehicular homicide for operating a motor vehicle in a grossly negligent manner, according to a complaint filed Tuesday in Hennepin County District Court.
According to the complaint, Minnesota State Patrol officers responded to a crash on Interstate 94 near the Dayton Parkway exit in Hennepin County at about 5:31 a.m. on October 27, 2024. Investigators determined the victim was driving a Ford Escape eastbound when she struck a deer, disabling her vehicle in the left-center lane.
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The victim activated her hazard lights and came to a complete stop. Freeway cameras captured several vehicles safely changing lanes to avoid the stopped SUV, with traffic continuing to flow around it for several minutes.
Roughly six and a half minutes after the Ford Escape stopped, Land approached in a Mazda CX-5 traveling eastbound in the same lane. Video footage showed the Mazda’s headlights were working, and Land did not begin braking until a fraction of a second before impact. The Mazda collided with the rear of the Ford Escape at a speed calculated between 70 and 85 miles per hour, killing the victim.
A crash reconstruction report and forensic analysis of Land’s phone revealed nearly constant device activity between Facebook, Safari and TikTok from the time he began driving until the moment of the crash. The TikTok application remained open until just after the collision, with logs showing ongoing use.
Land initially told investigators he was listening to a podcast and had his phone in a cubby, claiming there was nothing distracting him outside the vehicle. When confronted with the phone data, Land acknowledged he could have been using his phone around the time of the crash, referencing the election as a possible reason for activity.
Court records state there is no evidence Land reacted to the stopped vehicle until 0.133 seconds before the crash. Other drivers had safely avoided the disabled SUV in the minutes leading up to the collision.
The charge of criminal vehicular homicide alleges Land operated his vehicle in a grossly negligent manner, resulting in the victim’s death.
The complaint was filed Tuesday in Hennepin County District Court. A court date has not yet been set.
About This Charge
Minnesota charges criminal vehicular homicide under § 609.2112, a felony carrying up to 10 years in prison when a driver causes a death through negligence, intoxication or other qualifying conduct. Criminal vehicular operation causing injury is charged separately under § 609.2113, with penalties that scale to the degree of bodily harm. These offenses are distinct from murder and manslaughter, which require proof of a different mental state.
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Jurisdictional Context
Hennepin County is Minnesota’s most populous jurisdiction. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office handles felony prosecutions across Minneapolis and 45 surrounding cities; the Fourth Judicial District presides over felony arraignments and trials at the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis.
