Little Falls Man Enters Plea in 2012 Fatal Drunk Driving Case

ST. PETER -- A Little Falls man has entered a guilty plea in a fatal drunken driving crash that killed an Albany man in 2012.

Twenty-five-year-old Derek Stavish entered an Alford Plea on a charge of felony criminal vehicular homicide in Nicollet County Court Monday. An Alford Plea means Stavish doesn't admit guilt, but admits there is enough evidence to convict him.

Stavish says he can't remember whether he was driving the pickup that crashed and killed 19-year-old Brent Lehnen in June 2012.

A jury trial was scheduled to begin this week after more than three years of appeals, but the trial was canceled when Stavish entered the plea.

Under terms of the guilty plea, the felony criminal vehicular homicide charge could be reduced to a gross misdemeanor if Stavish successfully completes probation.

Stavish will be sentenced in St. Peter June 14th.