Driver Charged in Albertville Crash That Left Passenger Seriously Hurt
BY MN CRIME STAFF
Felony charges have been filed against a driver after a rollover crash in Albertville left his passenger trapped beneath the vehicle and seriously injured.
The crash happened around 6 a.m. Jan. 17 on westbound Interstate 94 near mile marker 203 in Albertville.
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Prosecutors charged Abdirizck Hussein Ali, 20, of St. Cloud, with criminal vehicular operation resulting in substantial bodily harm. If convicted, the charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison or a $10,000 fine, or both.
According to the criminal complaint, a Minnesota State Patrol trooper responded to a report of a rollover crash with a person pinned beneath a vehicle. Deputies with the Wright County Sheriff’s Office and Albertville Fire and Rescue were already at the scene working to free the passenger from under a 2014 Chevrolet Traverse that had rolled.
Investigators observed tire tracks leading off Interstate 94 into the ditch. The vehicle was found upside down against a fence along the highway, consistent with a rollover crash after leaving the roadway. Authorities determined Ali had driven off the interstate and rolled the vehicle.
The passenger suffered visible facial injuries and had blood on his head. Responders reported the man was unconscious but breathing. He was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center where he was treated in the intensive care unit.
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Authorities say the passenger suffered substantial bodily harm after being rendered unconscious and becoming trapped beneath the vehicle following the crash.
Deputies at the scene reported smelling the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from both Ali and the passenger. According to the complaint, Ali denied drinking alcohol and refused a preliminary breath test.
Ali was transported to St. Cloud Hospital for treatment of injuries he sustained in the crash.
Investigators later obtained a search warrant to collect a blood sample from Ali. Testing by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension detected benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine and a Schedule II controlled substance, in his system.
Authorities allege the presence of a controlled substance and negligent driving led to the crash that seriously injured the passenger.
Ali has been summoned to appear in Wright County District Court to answer the charge and is not currently in custody.
According to the criminal complaint, a Minnesota State Patrol trooper responded to a report of a rollover crash with a person pinned beneath a vehicle.