Man 21, pleads guilty in fatal Becker crash involving stolen truck
ELK RIVER, Minn. — A Montrose man has pleaded guilty in connection to a deadly multi-vehicle collision involving a stolen truck earlier this year.
Court records show the man pleaded guilty to three charges on Thursday: fleeing an officer resulting in death, receiving stolen property and criminal vehicular operation.
Five other counts will be dropped as part of the plea agreement.
The agreement calls for a prison sentence of 13 years and three months, and restitution.
The crash happened on July 7 in Becker.
According to the criminal complaint, troopers and deputies spotted a stolen Ram truck in St. Cloud. The truck's owner was able to track the vehicle and relayed information to authorities.
Authorities chased the man for 20 minutes on Highway 10, with the truck and law enforcement reaching speeds of more than 100 mph at times.
The Becker man eventually crashed into a red Toyota near the Speedway gas station off Highway 10 and Liberty Lane, court documents say.
Investigators say the collision caused the Toyota to spin and hit a nearby SUV.
The driver of the Toyota, 36-year-old Chris Vyskocil of Becker, was critically injured and died nine days after the crash, according to the Sherburne County Attorney's Office.
The driver of the SUV suffered minor injuries.
Court documents state the man admitted to authorities he had used heroin five hours before the crash. According to the attorney's office, a blood test showed presence of fentanyl in his system.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 7.