A motorist was drunk and within feet of arriving home when he caused a collision last year near Rochester that killed a motorcyclist, according to charges filed Thursday.
Charges: Drunken driver turning into driveway crashes, kills motorcyclist near Rochester
SUV driver was turning left toward his driveway when he crossed into the path of the motorcycle, according to the charges.
July 27, 2023 at 4:31PM
Nicholas A. Sprau, 58, of Chatfield was charged in Olmsted County District Court with criminal vehicular homicide and drunken driving in connection with the crash on Sept. 10 that killed Rick J. Hutton, 36, of nearby Stewartville.
Sprau was charged by summons and is due in court on Aug. 31. Messages were left with him seeking his response to the allegations.
According to the criminal complaint:
Sprau was heading north about 9:45 p.m. in his SUV on Hwy. 52 southeast of Rochester and started turning left toward the driveway outside his home when he crossed into the path of Hutton's southbound motorcycle. The impact sent Hutton off his motorcycle. Emergency responders declared him dead at the scene.
A trooper questioned Sprau, who said he and his wife were coming home from a party. He said he had six beers in six hours and was not feeling the effects of his drinking.
A preliminary breath test at the scene administered by the trooper measured Sprau's blood alcohol content (BAC) at 0.185%, more than twice the legal limit for driving in Minnesota. Analysis of his blood by the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension came back with a reading of 0.173%, still more than twice the legal limit.
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