Sentencing hearing scheduled for Rochester woman in impaired driving crash that injured teen
Sep. 1—ROCHESTER — A 49-year-old Rochester woman who was facing charges related to a June 2022 impaired driving crash that injured two is expected to be sentenced on Oct. 6, 2023. The date was set during a hearing on Friday afternoon, Sept. 1, in an Olmsted County courtroom.
Patricia Helen Price pleaded guilty to a gross misdemeanor third-degree driving under the influence charge in exchange for the dismissal of two felony criminal vehicular operation charges.
Price is accused of crashing her vehicle into another car when she failed to yield at the intersection of North Broadway and 48th Street Northeast the night of June 3, 2022.
The plea deal calls for no more than 60 days in jail, though she may argue for no additional jail time. The agreement also calls for three years of probation and a stay of imposition. Judge Christina Daily accepted that plea Friday and adjudicated Price guilty of her driving under the influence charge.
At the time of sentencing, a judge will not impose a prison sentence in accordance with the plea deal. If Price violates her probation, she may be sent to prison.
In court Friday, Price admitted to drinking two mixed drinks that contained vodka that night and driving to pick up her teenage son. The crash occurred while she was driving with her child in the car, she told the court, in addition to admitting that she has no reason to dispute a blood draw that showed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.156.
When law enforcement arrived at the crash scene they noted a strong odor of alcohol on Price's breath, according to the criminal complaint.
"She was struggling to maintain balance while speaking and stay on topic," reads part of the complaint. "She was stumbling and had to lean against a light post to keep her balance."
Price was arrested that night following field sobriety and preliminary breath tests.
A blood draw sample tested by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension showed a 0.156 blood alcohol concentration for Price.
While Price was arrested following the crash, the Olmsted County Attorney's Office was waiting on the results of a blood draw taken from the woman and medical reports from the victims before making a charging decision.
One of those injured in the vehicle Price allegedly hit was a senior at Century and pitcher for the Panther's baseball team.
He broke his wrist in two places in the crash.
"It was the most terrifying night of my life," his mother, Jennifer Rand, told the Post Bulletin last year.
The family has asked the Post Bulletin not to name the teen who was injured.
Rand said an orthopedic surgeon the family met with said her son's hand would never be able to be put back the way it was due to his injury being a crushing injury.
