Charges: Driver Fled After Hitting Bicyclist at Winona Intersection

Winona, MN (KROC-AM News)- The woman who was behind the wheel of a car that hit a bicycle at a Winona intersection is now facing a felony charge. 

See Also: Teen Arrested for High-Speed Chase in Rochester 

She made her first appearance in Winona County Court Monday morning. 

The car-bicycle collision happened shortly before 11:00 Sunday morning at the intersection of Hwy. 61 and Huff St. 

Winona Woman Charged for Fleeing Scene After Hitting E-Biker with Car at Winona Intersection

30-year-old Jessica Shuntae Smith is charged with criminal vehicular operation-leaving the scene of a crash and misdemeanor counts of driving after revocation and driving without insurance. 

The criminal complaint says a witness saw a car traveling north on Hwy. 61 at 15-20 mph strike the bicyclist, who was riding in the crosswalk towards Huff St. 

Responding Winona police officers found the bicyclist with a contusion and laceration on his leg. There was also blood pooling near him, the complaint says. 

The State Patrol identified the bike rider as 67-year-old Scott Adrian Sabotta of Winona. He was taken to a hospital in La Crosse with non-life-threatening injuries, according to the state crash report. 

The charges say Smith appeared to have rolled down the car’s window, asked Sabotta if he was ok before turning right on Huff St. A different driver, who the complaint indicates also saw the crash, followed Smith to a residence in Winona and called 911. 

Officers responded to the home and confronted Smith’s boyfriend before detaining him, believing he was driving the car that had blood on its front end, the complaint says. 

The 911 caller then told police a woman was driving. Police then obtained camera footage of the car arriving at the home and saw Smith exit the car shortly after hitting the biker, the charges say. 

During an interview with police, Smith admitted to hitting Sabotta, the complaint says. 

Conditional bail was set at $3,000 for Smith following her first court appearance. She’s due back in court next month.