2 Charged In Double Fatal Burnsville Crash Caused By 'Excessively High Speeds'
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Two people have been charged in a high-speed crash that killed two young adults in early April.
According to the Dakota County Attorney's Office, Camille Dennis-Bond, 19 of Burnsville, faces two counts of third-degree murder, two counts of criminal vehicular homicide and one count of criminal vehicular operation in connection to the April 4 incident.
An 18-year-old man faces the same charges, but was 17 years old at the time, so he will be prosecuted as a juvenile unless the court certifies him as an adult. A delinquency petition and a petition for adult certification has been filed.
According to the criminal complaint, Dennis-Bond and her brother, who is the other person charged in the incident, were racing separate vehicles at excessively high speeds prior to the crash. The pair were speeding side-by-side eastbound on County Road 42 between Burnsville Parkway and Newton Avenue in Burnsville.
Meanwhile, a motorist in a Honda CRV entered the intersection, crossing the county road, when the car driven by Dennis-Bond's brother collided into the Honda.
The occupants of the Honda, Tayler Garza of Woodbury and Dalton Ford of Burnsville, died in the crash. Ford was driving. They were both 22 years old.
Dennis-Bond's vehicle just missed striking the Honda.
Both Dennis-Bond's brother and a passenger were taken to the hospital, with the passenger suffering significant injuries.
According to the Minnesota State Patrol, the vehicle that collided into the Honda was traveling between 93 and 100 mph at the point of collision.
"My deepest sympathy is extended to the family and friends of Tayler Garza and Dalton Ford for their great loss. This case serves as a somber reminder of the danger of driving at excessively high speeds. As of October 24, 2021, there have been 402 traffic-related deaths on Minnesota roadways, which represents a 25% increase over last year at this time. Speed is the largest contributing factor in these fatal traffic crashes. Of the 402 traffic-related deaths, 130 of those have been speed related deaths which is a 33% increase from this time last year and a 106% increase from this time in 2019," Dakota County Attorney Kathy Keena said in a statement.
Dennis-Bond made her first court appearance Friday. Her bail was set at $300,000 without conditions and $75,000 with conditions. Her next court appearance is set for Nov. 24.