Tennessee Truck Driver Convicted In Fatal I-35 Crash Near Faribault

Faribault, MN (KROC-AM News)- A Tennessee truck driver has been convicted for a crash that claimed two lives on a southern Minnesota interstate.

57-year-old Matthew Henry Hansen and 56-year-old Cimberly Ellen Hansen of Urbandale, IA lost their lives in the August 2023 crash. They were traveling north in a car that was struck by a northbound semi on Interstate 35.

The semi also hit a northbound pickup truck. Both passenger vehicles were slowing for a construction zone that reduced the interstate into a single lane in each direction near Faribault.

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Charges: Truck Driver Distracted by Netflix Caused Fatal Crash on I-35 Near Faribault Construction Zone

57-year-old Billy Joe Grimes was charged with two counts of criminal vehicular homicide and one count of criminal vehicular operation in April of 2024.

The charges state witnesses told State Troopers they saw Grimes looking down moments before the crash and being unable to stop for slowed traffic ahead of him.

Grimes passed five signs warning motorists of an upcoming construction zone and instructing drivers to slow down for merging traffic at the start of the work zone, according to the criminal complaint.

Netflix Streaming Caught on Dashcam Moments Before Deadly I-35 Crash

Dash camera and roadside camera footage shows Grimes streaming a Netflix show on phone moments before the deadly crash, the charges say.

A reconstruction of the deadly crash found Grimes had the truck's cruise control set between 67 mph and 68 mph before the crash.

The reconstruction also found no evidence that Grimes made an attempt to break before the fatal collision, according to the court document.

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Grimes was pleaded guilty to all three charges against him on Monday, according to Rice County Court records. He’s scheduled to be sentenced in March.

Top 5 Most Dangerous Roads in the State of Minnesota

Car accidents happen in every state but in Minnesota, there seem to be a few roads that are the most dangerous for drivers. According to Hoglund Analytics, below are the top 5 most dangerous roads in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

Gallery Credit: Jessica On The Radio