A felon with no driver's license has been charged with killing a wife and husband in a collision while being chased by sheriff's deputies in western Minnesota.
Charges: 'I hurt people,' says felon who killed Fergus Falls couple while fleeing deputies
October 10, 2020 at 10:54PM
Cody J. Freitag, 30, of Fergus Falls, Minn., was charged Wednesday in Otter Tail County District Court with two counts each of criminal vehicular homicide and fleeing police in connection with the crash the previous Friday in downtown Fergus Falls.
Killed were Diane L. Christianson, 71, and Steven J. Christianson, 72. They were to be memorialized together on Saturday at an outdoor service at DeLagoon Park in their hometown of Fergus Falls.
Freitag survived the collision and was charged by warrant after being taken to a Fargo hospital for treatment.
At the time of the crash, Freitag was driving after having his license revoked, a state Department of Public Safety spokeswoman said Tuesday. State court records show he's been convicted twice previously for driving with a suspended license.
According to the criminal complaint and police: Freitag fled in a minivan when deputies tried to arrest him on outstanding warrants about 6:40 p.m. on Oct. 2 after they posed as an acquaintance on social media and arranged a meeting at a Casey's convenience store.
Deputies chased him into downtown Fergus Falls, where was passing cars and driving in the wrong direction before he ran a stop sign and hit the couple's car.
The impact of the crash sent Freitag's vehicle into a light pole and the other vehicle into a nearby parking lot.
Freitag got out of the van and said several times, "What have I done?" as he saw officers attempting to save the couple's lives, the charges read.
A search of Freitag's van turned up drug paraphernalia and residue, a torch and suspected methamphetamine.
Questioned by police at the hospital, Freitag said, "I [messed] up. … I hurt people," the complaint read. He then asked for a lawyer.
The deputies were trying to arrest Freitag on warrants for felony drug crimes, felony theft, felony fleeing law enforcement, domestic assault and obstructing the legal process.
Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482
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