A mixture of prescription drugs, marijuana and alcohol is suspected of impairing a motorist who fatally struck a teenager on a bicycle on a Blaine residential street, according to charges filed Monday.
Daniel A. Rodman, of Ramsey, was charged in Anoka County District Court with two counts of criminal vehicular homicide in connection with the death of Blaine High School 10th-grader Tony Janisch early Friday evening as he rode with one of his brothers and a friend on NE. 129th Avenue near Lincoln Street. Janisch died at the scene.
Rodman remains jailed in lieu of $150,000 bail and has a court date scheduled for April 20. A message was left with his attorney seeking a response to the allegations.
According to the criminal complaint:
Witnesses said the teens were on bikes and skateboards heading east on 129th when Rodman's westbound car struck Janisch head-on.
The three were sufficiently off to the side to avoid impeding traffic, the witnesses said, leaving Rodman "a full opportunity to see them and avoid a collision," the charges read.
Rodman stopped and told police that he had finished work and had a beer at a friend's home nearby before he resumed driving.
He also told police that he was taking a number of prescription medications. Three officers detected an odor of marijuana coming from Rodman, but he denied having used any in the time leading up to the crash.