Benton County Judge Sentences Man in Fatal Drunk Driving Crash

FOLEY (WJON News) -- A Burnsville man who caused a fatal crash in Rice last summer has been sentenced.

A Benton County judge has sentenced 67-year-old Paul Bergman to four years in prison. He gets credit for having served 65 days in the county jail.

Bergman pleaded guilty in December to one count of criminal vehicular homicide in what's called a Norgaard plea. A Norgaard plea is where a defendant claims they were too drunk or under the influence of chemicals to recall the facts of what happened.

The crash happened just after 10:00 p.m. on July 7th. Court records show Bergman crossed over the centerline on County Road 2 and hit a car driven by 65-year-old John McIntyre of Champlin.

A blood test determined Bergman's blood alcohol content was 0.272, more than three times the legal limit to drive.

McIntyre died from his injuries eight days later.

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