Guilty Pleas In Crash That Killed 2 Teens, Hurt Another

ST. PAUL (AP) -- A driver accused of causing a crash that killed two teenagers and severely injuring a third in eastern Minnesota has admitted excessive speed contributed to the accident.

Rachel Kayl has pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal vehicular homicide and one count of criminal vehicular operation in the December 2016 crash that took the lives of Bridget Giere and Stephanie Carlson, both 16, and caused severe injuries to Samantha Redden. The girls were on their way to Mounds View High School when that fatal collision occurred.

The state agreed to drop the two manslaughter charges against Kayl.

In court Thursday, Kayl admitted to driving about 80 mph when her SUV collided with the girls' vehicle on a road with a 50 mph speed limit.