Suspect Charged for Saint Paul Head-On Crash While Drunk
BY MN CRIME STAFF
A 33-year-old man is facing felony charges after police say he drove drunk, crossed the center line and caused a head-on crash in Saint Paul that left a woman with a broken hip.
The crash happened at about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 4 on the 1500 block of East Shore Drive.
Prosecutors charged Day Wah Ku, of Saint Paul, with felony criminal vehicular operation resulting in substantial bodily harm along with misdemeanor charges for carrying a pistol while under the influence of alcohol, carrying a pistol with an alcohol concentration of 0.10 or more and two counts of driving while impaired.
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According to the criminal complaint, Saint Paul police arrived to find a 2016 Ford F-150 and a 2020 Toyota Corolla both heavily damaged after being involved in a head-on collision.
The driver of the Ford F-150 was outside the truck holding his infant child when officers arrived. Neither appeared to be injured. His wife, however, remained inside the pickup and was unable to move. Officers reported that she was groaning in pain and complaining of injuries to the left side of her leg and hip.
Paramedics removed the woman from the vehicle and transported her to Regions Hospital for treatment.
The driver of the Toyota Corolla was identified as Ku, who I vwas the sole occupant of the vehicle. Officers ordered him out of the car and immediately noticed signs of alcohol impairment, including watery eyes, slurred speech and poor balance. Officers also reported smelling alcohol coming from him while he spoke.
When asked how much he had been drinking, Ku initially responded, “I did something wrong.” When pressed further, he admitted to drinking alcohol but claimed he only had “a little bit.”
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Investigators also spoke with a witness who had been driving behind the Ford pickup at the time of the crash. The witness, an off-duty police officer from another agency, told investigators he watched the Corolla approach from the opposite direction and take a curve too fast before crossing the center line and colliding head-on with the pickup. The witness also said he smelled alcohol coming from Ku’s vehicle.
During a search of Ku’s vehicle, officers found a Springfield Armory Hellcat 9mm handgun, a magazine loaded with ammunition and 18 loose rounds of 9mm and .22-caliber ammunition. Court records show Ku had a valid permit to carry the firearm.
Police conducted field sobriety tests at the scene and reported that Ku failed each one, showing clear signs of alcohol impairment. He initially agreed to provide a preliminary breath test but failed to properly blow into the device.
Officers arrested Ku and transported him to Regions Hospital. After obtaining a search warrant, investigators collected a blood sample and later administered a breath test. The result showed an alcohol concentration of 0.13.
Court records state that the injured woman remained hospitalized at Regions Hospital as of March 6. Doctors determined she suffered a broken hip and required surgery to treat her injuries.
Ku made an initial court appearance on March 6 where a judge released him with no bail on conditions including no use of alcohol or drugs, participation in an alcohol monitoring program and random testing. His next court appearance is scheduled for March 27.
According to the criminal complaint, Saint Paul police arrived to find a 2016 Ford F-150 and a 2020 Toyota Corolla both heavily damaged after being involved in a head-on collision.