No Charges for Rice County Deputy Who Fatally Ran Over Woman Laying in Highway
Faribault, MN (KROC-AM News)- A Rice County Sheriff’s Deputy will not face charges for fatally running over a woman who was laying in a highway in January.
The decision was announced by Rice County Attorney John Fossum over the weekend. A news release says a State Patrol accident investigation concluded Sgt. Trevor Peterson did not have time to avoid 52-year-old Stephanie Wesley, who was reportedly laying in the middle of Hwy. 60 east of Morristown around 2 a.m. on Jan 29.
Wesley died of multiple blunt-force injuries and had a blood-alcohol level of .235, the announcement states. Investigators say Peterson was traveling along the unlit highway at or below the posted speed limit.
The investigation was based on dash camera footage from Peterson’s squad vehicle and a reconstruction of the deadly accident. Fossum declined to press charges and asked the Olmsted County Attorney’s Office to review the case. Olmsted County Attorney Mark Ostrom agreed with the Fossum's recommendation, the news release says.