A Winnebago man has been charged with criminal vehicular homicide in a crash that killed a Blue Earth man last year on Highway 169.
According to charges filed in Faribault County District Court, 20 year old Jeffrey Gunzenhauser was intoxicated when he drove in the wrong lane and caused the fatal crash.
The crash occurred early Halloween morning south of Winnebago and killed 76 year old Harold Renkley.
Gunzenhauser was seriously injured and a passenger in Renkley’s vehicle, 84 year old Stanley Oppedal of Ames, Iowa was also injured.
In addition to the homicide charge, Gunzenhauser was charged with gross misdemeanor criminal vehicular operation.
The complaint alleges a Winnebago Police Officer witnessed the head on crash after Gunzenhauser almost crashed into the officer’s squad car.
A blood sample taken from Gunzenhauser three hours after the crash showed he had an alcohol concentration above the legal limit.
A woman who knows Gunzenhauser told investigators she was talking to him on the phone while he drove on 169 and the line suddenly went dead.
Crash data examined by a state patrol investigator determined that Gunzenhauser did no brake before the crash.
Gunzenhauser was ordered to make a first remote court appearance May 24th.