Woman spared prison for South St. Paul crash that killed ex-husband after bar-hopping

A judge Tuesday spared a prison sentence for a woman who admitted that she spent the day bar-hopping before getting behind the wheel drunk and causing a fatal head-on crash in South St. Paul that killed her ex-husband, who was sitting next to her.

Bobbie Jo Puttbrese, 53, of North St. Paul, was sentenced in Dakota County District Court after pleading guilty in October to one count of criminal vehicular homicide and two counts of criminal vehicular operation in connection with the collision on June 5 that killed 60-year-old Paul E. Craven of West St. Paul.

A police officer gave Puttbrese a preliminary breath test at the scene, and her blood alcohol content was measured at 0.201%, more than twice the legal limit for driving in Minnesota, the criminal complaint said. The complaint noted that Puttbrese has two convictions for drunken driving, one in 1993 and the other in 2000.

Judge Stacey Green chose not to impose a presumptive sentence of four years and instead put Puttbrese on probation for five years. According to the terms of her probation, she must abstain from using alcohol, illicit drugs and THC, submit to random substance testing and comply with mental health directives.

Green explained in a departure report that her sentence fell below state guidelines because, among numerous reasons, Puttbrese has expressed remorse and has undergone successful chemical dependency and mental health treatment.

In a statement released after sentencing, County Attorney Kathy Keena said, “I’m disappointed with the court’s downward dispositional departure decision, given [Puttbrese’s] actions in this case.”

Last month, defense attorney Joshua Dingel told the court in writing that his client has maintained sobriety and accepts responsibility for Craven’s death.

“I feel bad that I ever got behind the wheel to drink and drive,” read a quote from Puttbrese in the filing. “I loved him, and I am sorry that I hit somebody and hurt someone. … I’m never going to drink again.”

According to the charges:

Puttbrese was heading south on Concord Street about 3:20 p.m. when she crossed into the northbound lane and hit a pickup truck head-on. Emergency responders took Craven to Regions Hospital, where he died. A 64-year-old passenger in Puttbrese’s van went to the same hospital with spinal fractures and broken bones in his chest.

The 55-year-old pickup driver, less seriously injured, told police he saw Puttbrese’s southbound van suddenly cross into his lane and hit him head-on. Surveillance video from a nearby business showed the pickup driver trying to avoid the collision.

An officer saw Puttbrese sitting on a sidewalk nearby. Her speech was slurred and her eyes were watery. She had difficulty responding when the officer asked for her phone and address. Puttbrese said “she had been drinking at several bars today [and] stated she was drunk,” the charges read.