Avon Man Charged in St. Cloud Crash That Killed Unborn Baby
BY MN CRIME STAFF
A pregnant woman was left critically injured and her unborn child died after investigators say an impaired driver ran a stop sign and caused a head-on crash in St. Cloud.
The collision happened around 12:56 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13, near 33rd Avenue North and 5th Street North, where police found two heavily damaged vehicles buried in a snowbank following a head-on crash.
> Sign up for the MN CRIME newsletter
Christopher James Otte, 32, of Avon, has now been charged with felony criminal vehicular operation causing the death of an unborn child while under the influence of alcohol and felony criminal vehicular operation causing great bodily harm. Prosecutors allege the crash occurred while Otte was impaired and within 10 years of a prior gross misdemeanor DWI conviction in 2019.
According to the criminal complaint, officers arrived to find the crash involving a Toyota Sienna driven by an adult woman and a GMC Yukon driven by Otte. The woman was trapped inside her vehicle, pinned between the driver’s seat and dashboard. As officers worked to free her, the front of the van caught fire before firefighters helped remove her from the wreckage.
Authorities later learned the woman was pregnant and her unborn baby was pronounced dead at the hospital. Medical staff reported the woman suffered extensive injuries requiring a blood transfusion and surgery to repair her hip, femur, knee and multiple fractures to her ankle and foot. She remained on a ventilator and unconscious the following day, listed in critical condition.
Witnesses told investigators the driver of the Yukon was traveling westbound at a very high speed moments before the crash. Surveillance video obtained from a nearby business showed the driver running a stop sign at 25th Avenue North before veering into the opposite lane and colliding head-on with the van, according to the complaint.
READ MORE > St. Cloud coverage
Officers reported Otte appeared unsteady with slurred speech and watery eyes at the scene. Field sobriety testing showed signs of impairment, and a preliminary breath test recorded an alcohol concentration of 0.201. During a search following his arrest, officers located a sports bar receipt from earlier that morning showing the purchase of multiple alcoholic drinks.
After being advised of his rights, Otte admitted he had consumed alcohol before driving. He told investigators he believed the other driver pulled out in front of him but also twice stated, “It was my fault,” according to the complaint.
Investigators say crash reconstruction was performed by the Minnesota State Patrol, and a blood sample taken from Otte will be analyzed by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
The charge involving the death of an unborn child carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. The great bodily harm charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Otte made an initial court appearance on Tuesday where bail was set at $300,000 with conditions including remaining law-abiding, no alcohol use and alcohol monitoring. Otte remains in custody with his next court appearance scheduled for March 16.
