Gustavus Adolphus teammate charged with reckless driving in crash that killed hockey player

A 20-year-old Lakeville woman was charged Friday with reckless driving in relation to the crash a year ago that killed a member of the Gustavus Adolphus College women’s hockey team.

Gianna K. Gasparini was charged with the gross misdemeanor count in Chippewa County District Court following a crash reconstruction indicating she was driving 78 mph before failing to obey a stop sign.

According to the complaint, Minnesota State Patrol was dispatched to the crash that occurred at about 12:40 p.m. Aug. 20, 2023, about 20 miles west of Willmar on Hwy. 40 at the intersection with Hwy. 29 in Grace Township.

The SUV driven by Gasparini was heading east on Hwy. 40 when it collided with a southbound minivan. All four women in the SUV were taken to Montevideo Hospital, but Gusties goaltender Jori Lynn Jones, 19, of Little Canada did not survive her injuries.

In a statement taken at the hospital, Gasparini said the thought she was traveling 68 mph and said she “didn’t notice that it was a four-way intersection until it was too late.” She admitted to drinking at a concert the night before but didn’t think there was alcohol in her system; a preliminary breath sample gave a reading of 0.0%, indicating no alcohol was in her system, the complaint states.

Gasparini said she wasn’t distracted by her phone but said she didn’t take her ADHD medicine that morning but “should have” because it helps her “focus better,” the complaint states.

Gasparini’s other passengers were Kayla M. Bluhm of Chisago City and Lily K. Mortenson of Champlin. The women were in one of three vehicles of teammates returning from a short off-season trip to Aberdeen in eastern South Dakota “to see each other and enjoy their company,” Mike Carroll, head coach of the Gustavus Adolphus women’s hockey team, said last year.

All four women were freshmen on the Gustavus Adolphus hockey team that won the NCAA Division III championship in March 2023. Before joining Gustavus Adolphus, Jones played high school hockey for Roseville, Gasparini for Lakeville North, Mortenson for Benilde-St. Margaret and Bluhm for Chisago Lakes.

The driver of the other vehicle in the crash, Brandi Rasmussen, told officials she stopped and looked both ways at the intersection, didn’t see anything and then “all of a sudden, I’m just turning over and turning over and turning over,” the complaint states.

A witness who was driving near the intersection at the time of the crash told officials the SUV driven by Gasparini was “going too fast” and “missed the stop,” the complaint states.

Gasparini was convicted of a misdemeanor for underage drinking in May. Her first court date for the gross misdemeanor has not yet been scheduled.

Star Tribune staff writer Paul Walsh contributed to this story.