Albert Lea man sentenced to supervised probation on fleeing a peace officer, criminal vehicular operation charges in Mower County District Court
An Albert Lea man who was the driver in an accident while intoxicated that injured himself and two other men on Interstate 90 in Austin in February has been sentenced to supervised probation in Mower County District Court.
20-year old Devon McCormick Lee was convicted and sentenced Thursday to three years of supervised probation for a felony charge of fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle. Lee must follow 19 different conditions while on probation,and Judge Jeffery Kritzer granted Lee a stay of imposition in the case where the defendant pleads guilty to a felony-level offense. If he or she successfully completes their probation, the conviction will be deemed a misdemeanor.
Lee was also convicted and sentenced Thursday to three years of supervised probation for a gross misdemeanor charge of criminal vehicular operation, bodily harm, under the influence of alcohol. A 364-day jail sentence was stayed for three years if Lee complies with the 17 different conditions of his probation, and Lee was also convicted and sentenced Thursday to three years of supervised probation for a gross misdemeanor charge of criminal vehicular operation, bodily harm, gross negligence. A 364-day jail sentence was stayed for three years if Lee complies with the 19 different terms of his probation, and Judge Kritzer determined that Lee will be allowed to serve all three sentences concurrently.
The Minnesota State Patrol reported that Lee was driving on Interstate 90 when he crashed near mile marker 179 in Austin just after midnight on February 7th. Lee and two passengers all suffered non-life threatening injuries.
Authorities indicated that alcohol was a factor in the crash and they noted that Lee was also driving at speeds of up to 145 miles per hour on Interstate 90 before he failed to negotiate a curve and overcorrected. The vehicle he was driving crossed both lanes of traffic and collided with the cement barrier with its front end, coming to a rest in the eastbound ditch at milepost 179.
Lee pleaded guilty to the three charges on July 10th, and additional charges in the case against Lee, including felonies for criminal vehicular operation, substantial bodily harm, gross negligence, criminal vehicular operation, substantial bodily harm, under the influence of alcohol, and for fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle, plus gross misdemeanors for criminal vehicular operation, great bodily harm, gross negligence, criminal vehicular operation, great bodily harm, under the influence of alcohol, and misdemeanors for 4th degree DWI, operate a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, also for open bottle and for speeding, exceed 100 miles per hour and endanger person and/or property were all dismissed with his guilty pleas.
