Minneapolis man pleads not guilty to charges in fatal Arden Hills crash
ARDEN HILLS, Minn. — The man accused of causing a fatal crash on a northeastern Twin Cities highway last month pleaded not guilty to all charges on Monday.
Luis Eduardo Tipantuna Quinchiguano, 31, was charged with four counts of criminal vehicular homicide for the crash that occurred on westbound Interstate 694 near Snelling Avenue in Arden Hills on Feb. 16. Curtis O'Connor, 76, and 74-year-old Karin O'Connor, of New Brighton, died as a result of the crash.
Tipantuna Quinchiguano was driving a Chevrolet Equinox when he crashed into the victims' vehicle, pushing it into the left lane in front of a semitruck, according to the criminal complaint.
The crash briefly closed I-694. The driver of the semi was hospitalized, but his injuries were not considered life-threatening.
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Officers said they saw and smelled alcohol in Tipantuna Quinchiguano's car. He was unconscious when they found him, but "would regain consciousness and quickly fall back to sleep," the complaint said. A preliminary breath test registered a blood alcohol content of .218, nearly three times the legal limit.
Witnesses told investigators Tipantuna Quinchiguano was "driving erratically" before the crash, changing lanes without a signal, "weaving in and out of traffic" and leaving the roadway completely, according to the complaint.
Tipantuna Quinchiguano's next court appearance is scheduled for May 15.
NOTE: The video above originally aired on Feb. 18, 2024.
