St. Louis Park Drunk Driver Who Killed 2 Sentenced to 30 Years
A 56-year-old man was sentenced Monday to 30 years in prison for driving drunk into a crowded restaurant patio in St. Louis Park last year, killing two people and injuring several more.
Steven Frane Bailey pleaded guilty in May to two counts of third-degree murder and three counts of criminal vehicular operation resulting in great bodily harm in connection with the Sept. 1, 2024 crash at Park Tavern.
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According to the criminal complaint, Bailey arrived at the bar with a blood alcohol concentration of .335—more than four times the legal limit. While trying to park, he struck two unoccupied vehicles in the lot, then reversed and accelerated forward over a curb and through the busy patio at high speed. The patio was filled with customers and staff at the time.
Gabe Harvey, 30, and Kristina Folkerts, 30, were killed. More than half a dozen other people were injured, some seriously, including a woman who was trapped beneath Bailey’s vehicle and a person who suffered a severe leg injury. According to investigators, some victims were thrown more than 20 feet from the impact site.
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Court documents show that Bailey was uncooperative with first responders and refused field sobriety testing. Inside his truck, officers found multiple open containers and a bottle of liquor. Surveillance footage reviewed by investigators showed Bailey drinking at several bars in the hours before the crash. Witnesses told police he appeared intoxicated at Park Tavern and had trouble parking before the incident.
In September 2024, prosecutors filed notice of their intent to seek an aggravated sentence, citing Bailey’s extreme intoxication, his long history of impaired driving, and the egregious nature of the offense. Bailey had five prior DWI convictions spanning from 1985 to 2015. Prosecutors also noted that children were present on the patio and in the adjacent building at the time of the crash and that Folkerts' children were left without their mother.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a statement that Bailey’s “senseless actions” had lasting consequences. “He is being held accountable, and the length of this sentence ensures he cannot hurt anyone else. This was yet another completely avoidable tragedy,” she said.
Bailey was initially charged with two counts of criminal vehicular homicide and nine counts of criminal vehicular operation. After a review of additional evidence, the charges were amended to include third-degree murder.
Bailey was granted bail and allowed to attend an in-patient alcohol treatment facility as the case progressed. He was given credit for 43 days already served.
Submitted photo
