Plea Deal for Oronoco Woman in Deadly Distracted Driving Case

Hastings, MN (KROC-AM News) - A last-minute plea agreement averted an Oronoco woman’s trial on charges connected to a deadly traffic crash near Cannon Falls two years ago.

57-year-old Lori Hoefs was scheduled to stand trial today in Dakota County court on 8 charges, including felony counts of Criminal Vehicular Homicide and Criminal Vehicular Operation. Instead, she entered into an agreement with prosecutors and admitted to gross misdemeanor and misdemeanor counts of reckless and careless driving.

Court records show Hoefs previously admitted she was using her cell phone when she drove through a stop sign at a rural intersection and collided with a second vehicle in a crash that killed 78-year-old Brenda Travis of Rochester and seriously injured three other people.

Hoef is scheduled to be sentenced on February 7th.