Charge: Man With Illegal Truck Severely Injured Driver
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A Hastings man is charged with severely injuring a motorist last February in a crash involving a truck with an illegal bumper height and window tints.
Justin Lee Schlomka, 33, is charged with criminal vehicular operation resulting in great bodily harm for a crash he is said to have caused on Feb. 4, 2015.
The criminal complaint alleges Schlomka, who was driving a Ford F350 truck, did not yield for a driver in a Ford Fusion at the intersection of 117th Street and Rich Valley Boulevard in Inver Grove Heights.
The truck had an aftermarket lift and a bumper that is illegally high, which crashed through the Fusion's windshield -- causing the driver serious head and facial injuries.
Schlomka's truck also has illegal window tints which make it harder to see at night. He claims he did not see the Fusion before hitting it.
He has been cited on multiple occasions for his bumper height, tint and seat belt usage, telling a trooper on one occasion that he would "rather pay the citations than make [the truck] legal."
The victim says he suffered a post-traumatic seizure after the crash, and needed surgery to repair fractures to his face. He now has double vision in his right eye, a pronounced stutter and is prone to anger due to the head injury.
Schlomka's first court appearance has not yet been scheduled. He could face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 if convicted.