Charges: Southeast MN Teen Driver Was Impaired by Meth During Rochester Injury Crash

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- A southeast Minnesota teenager has been charged in connection to an injury crash that occurred last summer. 

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The criminal complaint was filed in Olmsted County Court on Tuesday. One vehicle was involved in the crash. 

The State Patrol responded to the crash on Aug. 24 in Rochester on southbound Hwy. 52 south of the 55th St. Norwest exit and north of the 41st St. Northwest exit. The driver identified herself to the trooper as Cieara Nicole Gilbertson. 

The young Minnesota City woman, who was 18 at the time of the crash, said she was traveling south when she lost control of the vehicle, crossed multiple traffic lanes and collided with the center median. 

The center median collision then sent the vehicle she was driving into the ditch on the freeway’s right side. 

A male passenger in the vehicle was seen bleeding from cuts on his forehead and knee. The complaint does not state whether or not the individual was taken to the hospital.

Read More: Stewartville Woman Accepts Blame for Rochester Area Man's Death

The trooper at the scene suspected Gilbertson was impaired and ran her through field sobriety tests, the complaint says.

Upon completion of the tests, the trooper arrested Gilbertson on suspicion of DWI and brought her to the Olmsted County Jail where investigators obtained a sample of the teen woman’s urine for testing. 

The test later detected the presence of methamphetamine and amphetamine. Gilbertson is charged with two gross misdemeanor counts of criminal vehicular operation and two misdemeanor DWI charges. 

She’s scheduled to make her first court appearance next month.

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