Driver Charged for Stewartville Crash That Led to Surgery

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- A Chatfield man has been charged for an injury crash last year that required one of the victims to have surgery. 

See Also: Victim and Driver in Fatal Rochester Pedestrian Fatality Identified 

The criminal complaint, filed in Olmsted County Court on Thursday, says the crash happened on the afternoon of September 27. 

Two vehicles were involved in the crash. Two people were riding in the victim-vehicle. 

Charges: Drunk Chatfield Man Caused Injury Crash in Stewartville, MN

The Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office responded to the crash near the Casey’s gas station in Stewartville at the intersection of 20th St. and 2nd Ave. Northwest.  

Deputies learned a truck crashed into the victim’s vehicle and fled the scene, the charges say. 

Law enforcement obtained the suspect vehicle’s license plate and went to his home where they saw the truck with the driver’s door open and key in the ignition, the complaint says. 

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Deputies found the suspect, identified as 66-year-old Donald Leroy Bernard, and ran him through field sobriety tests, according to the court filing. 

Bernard failed the testing and provided a preliminary blood test that measured his blood alcohol concentration at 0.194. A blood sample determined Bernard’s BAC was 0.157, the complaint says. 

Court records indicate Bernard has a prior DWI conviction in the last 10 years. 

The driver of the victim's vehicle required surgery after the crash. The nature of the procedure is not described in the complaint. 

The second occupant of the victim's vehicle was not injured. 

Bernard is charged with gross misdemeanor criminal vehicular operation, two counts of DWI and one count of fleeing the scene of an injury crash. He’s due to make his first court appearance in May.