Cole Venables Charged With Criminal Vehicular Homicide In Hopkins Pedestrian Crash
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A Minnetonka man is accused of running over and killing a woman on a Hopkins street while he was allegedly under the influence of pills.
Cole Venables, 28, is charged with on count of criminal vehicular homicide, according to a criminal complaint.
The complaint states Hopkins police responded to Mainstreet and 15th Avenue South just before 7 p.m. Friday for a reported injury crash.
Officers found a woman partially pinned under a white Dodge Charger. They also found Venables at the scene.
He told them he had fallen asleep while driving. His clothing and car-topper indicated he was delivering pizzas at the time.
The woman -- later identified as 26-year-old Olivia DeMeuse -- was pronounced dead at the scene. A witness at the scene said she saw Venables' car hit a light pole and run over DeMeuse.
Another witness, who was driving behind Venables, said she stopped to check on Venables after he crashed and believed he was intoxicated because of his "slurred speech and the fact that he was physically shaking," the complaint states.
In an interview with police, Venables said he fell asleep while driving and woke up when he heard loud noises. He allegedly admitted he had taken pills, including Xanax, Suboxone and "benzos" that day.
Venables told police his manager tried to send him home for being "too tired," according to the complaint.
Authorities tested Venables' blood, but the toxicology results are not yet available.
Venables is in custody. If convicted, he could face up to 15 years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine.
