Cody Jazdzewski charged in Columbia Heights crash that killed Carrie Lynn Rivero, injured James Beller
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, Minn. -- Prosecutors charged a man with driving drunk and then striking and killing a woman who was on a sidewalk in Columbia Heights Thursday night. A man was also badly hurt.
Traffic cameras captured what happened after the crash, the flashing lights of the 911 response.
Fatemeh heard the impact from inside her hair salon.
"Very bad noise, I said, 'Wow, what happened,'" Fatemeh said.
The daylight showed just how much damage was done. The state patrol says a BMW convertible going south on Central near 39th Avenue left the road striking two people who were on the sidewalk. Fifty-eight-year-old Carrie Rivero died, and a 63-year-old man, James Beller, was badly injured.
"It's really sad, it's really sad. Wow, I can't believe it," Fatemeh said.
The vehicle ended up on the sidewalk, taking down the light pole and fence, and eventually coming to a stop at the tree.
"He hit the tree and then they told him to walk around," Fatemeh said.
The State Patrol is investigating and says alcohol was a factor in the sidewalk crash.
Court documents say the 35-year-old driver Cody Jazdzewski had bloodshot, watery eyes, was slurring his speech, and admitted to drinking before driving. His breath test on the scene was 0.131, above the point 0.08 legal limit.
"Should be safe walking along the sidewalk," Patrick Fagerlee said.
The driver swiped the side of Fagerlee's insurance office. He calls the whole situation heartbreaking.
"I've got four kids and life is very precious. Anybody anytime, so we can't take things for granted," Fagerlee said.
Prosecutors charged Jazdzewski with two felonies: criminal vehicular homicide and criminal vehicular operation while under the influence of alcohol.
