Driver who Plowed into St. Louis Park Patio, Killing 2, Pleads Guilty
A St. Louis Park man has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a Sept. 2024 crash that killed two people and injured more than a dozen others on the patio of Park Tavern.
Steven Frane Bailey, 56, amended his previous plea, admitting to multiple counts of criminal vehicular homicide and criminal vehicular operation in connection to the Labor Day weekend crash.
Bailey had been facing 16 counts, including two counts of third-degree murder, for the incident that killed Kristina Folkerts and Gabe Harvey. The crash left others with injuries ranging from cuts and bruises, to broken bones and serious head injuries.
PREVIOUSLY: Man Charged for Crashing Through Patio, Killing 2
Court documents say Bailey drove his gray BMW X5 through the parking lot of Park Tavern around 8 p.m. on Sept. 1, 2024. Surveillance video showed him striking a parked vehicle before accelerating toward the outdoor patio at high speed, crashing through a metal fence and plowing through tables crowded with patrons.
The SUV came to rest only after smashing into large boulders at the far end of the patio. Police found Folkerts pinned beneath the vehicle and declared her dead at the scene. Harvey was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
PREVIOUSLY: 2 Dead, 3 Injured in Park Tavern Crash
Several others were hospitalized with serious injuries, including a woman who suffered multiple fractures, was intubated, and required extensive surgery. Another victim sustained head trauma, fractured vertebrae and ribs, and was unable to walk for several months. An ICU nurse suffered a traumatic brain injury and has not returned to work. Others sustained injuries ranging from road rash and bruises to sprains and lacerations. At least 14 victims were named in the amended criminal complaint and children were present during the incident, according to court filings.
Police noted that Bailey showed clear signs of intoxication at the scene, including slurred speech, bloodshot eyes and unsteady movement. Officers reported that Bailey told someone on the phone, “I hit the gas instead of the brake and went right through a thing,” and said, “I’m probably going to jail.” His preliminary breath test at HCMC measured a blood alcohol concentration of 0.325, and a blood draw later confirmed a BAC of 0.335—more than four times the legal limit.
The aftermath of the Park Tavern crash in Sept. 2024. SUBMITTED
Bailey has five prior DWI convictions, with the most recent felony DWI occurring in 2015. Under the terms of the plea agreement. Bailey pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree murder and three counts of criminal vehicular operation resulting in great bodily harm. In exchange for his guilty plea, Bailey faces a prison sentence ranging from 25 to 30 years.
Bailey previously posted a $500,000 bail which included conditions such as GPS and alcohol monitoring, completing an alcohol treatment program and no driving. According to court documents, Bailey remains out of custody until sentencing, which is scheduled for July 28.
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