Rochester Biker Killed - Drunk Driver Gets 41 Months in Prison

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A Chatfield man, convicted of causing the death of a Rochester motorcyclist, learned of his punishment today.

According to the Olmsted County court documents, 60-year-old Nicholas Sprau was driving north on Highway 52 near Chatfield on the night of September 10, 2022 when his vehicle collided with a southbound motorcycle when he attempted to make a left turn into was driveway. 36-year-old Rick Hutton of Rochester was killed in the crash.

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The criminal complaint against Sprau stated that testing on blood samples taken from him following the fatal crash put his blood-alcohol-concentration at more than .17, which is more than double the legal limit for driving. The court document also says a crash reconstruction investigation by the State Patrol estimated that Hutton was traveling at about 40 mph when his motorcycle crashed into the passenger side of Sprau's vehicle after he hit the brakes in an attempt to avoid the collision.

Sprau complaint. Olmsted County Court

Sprau was charged with three counts of criminal vehicular homicide, along with gross misdemeanor and misdemeanor DWI charges. Under the terms of a plea agreement finalized last December, Sprau entered a guilty plea to one of the criminal vehicular homicide charges in exchange for the dismissal of the remaining charges.

He was sentenced this morning to 41 months in prison.

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