Woman pleads guilty in fatal hit-and-run that killed 17-year-old pedestrian in Bloomington

An Oakdale woman pleaded guilty Monday to hitting and killing a 17-year-old while driving drunk in Bloomington.

Mikala Jean Ness, 27, changed her plea to guilty Monday on three charges: two counts of vehicular homicide, and one count of criminal vehicular operation. One vehicular homicide charge was for being under the influence the alcohol and the other was for leaving the scene of the crash.

Donald E. Gayton Jr., 17, died two days after the Jan. 27 hit from severe head injuries, according to the charges. His sister, Tamya Lynn Gayton, 14, suffered serious injuries.

Bloomington police responded a little after 6 p.m. near E. 78th Street and 12th Avenue S., where the two stricken pedestrians were located.

A witness told police Ness' car passed her at high speed when she saw it hit Tamya Gayton, according to the charges.

Ness was located and arrested more than a mile away after her car went off the road in the 1900 block of Killebrew Drive, and hit a median near Mall of America. Ness told police she was coming from a holiday party but couldn't remember where it was, the charges say.

She took a breathalyzer test that came back with .13% blood alcohol content, above the .08% limit.

Tamya Gayton told police she and her brother were walking home from Walmart after buying candy, and were crossing 78th Street when Ness struck them.

Ness' sentencing is set for Sept. 21.