Austin man charged for his role in two-vehicle accident in southwest Austin Saturday evening
An Austin man who allegedly admitted to authorities to being the driver of one of two vehicles involved in an accident with several injuries at the intersection of 2nd Avenue and 4th St. SW in Austin while under the influence Saturday evening, and who was taken into custody after fleeing the scene of the accident a short time later has been charged in Mower County District Court.
23-year old Jeffer Lorenzo was charged Tuesday with felonies for criminal vehicular operation, great bodily harm, under the influence of alcohol, and criminal vehicular operation, great bodily harm, driver who causes a collision leaves the scene, plus Lorenzo was also charged with gross misdemeanors for criminal vehicular operation, bodily harm, under the influence of alcohol, criminal vehicular operation, bodily harm, leave the scene of an accident and for reckless driving, drives consciously disregarding a substantial or unjustifiable risk, and Lorenzo was also charged with a misdemeanor for 4th degree DWI, operate a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.
Officers with the Austin Police Department were dispatched to the scene of the accident at 8:47 p.m. Saturday evening. Arriving officers observed a silver SUV with extensive front-end damage in the middle of the road on 2nd Avenue SW, plus a red SUV with heavy driver’s side damage up along a garage on the north side of the road. Witnesses alerted authorities that some individuals had fled from the silver SUV, and Chief of Police Dave McKichan stated in a report that Lorenzo was apprehended lying down next to a house in the area shortly thereafter. McKichan stated that Lorenzo admitted being the driver of the silver SUV involved in the accident, and he added that the driver of the other vehicle, a 16-year old juvenile male from Austin was unresponsive due to injuries sustained in the crash and was later transported by Mayo 1 to Mayo Clinic/St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester for treatment of serious injuries.
A passenger in the silver SUV was also injured, treated and transported to Mayo Clinic Health Systems of Austin, and Chief McKichan indicated that a third person who was also believed to have been a passenger in the silver SUV who left the scene prior to officer arrival was found in the area a short time later passed out on a sidewalk due to intoxication. He was also transported to Mayo Clinic Health Systems of Austin.
Lorenzo is being held in the Mower County jail on $250,000 bail or bond without conditions, and $125,000 with conditions. Lorenzo’s next appearance in Mower County District Court will be a Rule 8 hearing on August 10th.
