Man Pleads Guilty In Wrong-Way Crash That Killed 3, Including Toddler
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 36-year-old Savage man has pleaded guilty in a wrong-way crash that killed three people, including a 2-year-old child.
On Tuesday, the Hennepin County Attorney's Office announced Patrick Hayes pleaded guilty to three counts of criminal vehicular homicide and two counts of criminal vehicular operation in connection to the Dec. 2, 2016 crash. He plead guilty as a jury was about to be chosen for his trial.
Authorities say Hayes is responsible for the deaths of three people in a wrong-way crash on Interstate 494 near Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
Hayes admitted that when he was living in Texas, he had a change in medication for his epilepsy, which made him more prone to seizures. When he moved to Minnesota, his medication was again changed and he knew the medication would still make him more prone to seizures.
Court documents also showed he didn't disclose the medical condition that could impair his driving on his license application.
Having that knowledge of his medical history, Hayes admitted it was grossly negligent to be driving that night. He said he had seizure, blacked out and does not remember the crash.
Authorities say Hayes was driving westbound on Interstate 494 near Minnesota Highway 5 on the evening of Dec. 2, 2016 when he pulled over to the right shoulder, turned and then headed eastbound in the westbound lane just east of the 24th Avenue exit. He traveled some distance before colliding with a blue Jeep Cherokee.
Three occupants of the Jeep – 2-year-old Payton Bailey, his mother Dylan Bailey and grandmother Dawn Chiodo – died in the crash. They were returning from picking up Oliva Nord, who was returning from basic training. She and her mother, Jennifer Nord, were injured in the crash.
No sentencing date has been set as Hayes will be undergoing a serious medical procedure. A September 27 hearing is set to determine whether he would be well enough to be sentenced and go to prison. Prosecutors are seeking 100 months – more than 8 years – in prison.
