A driver who allegedly recklessly drove through a camping area near a western Minnesota lake and injured a woman was charged Tuesday in Otter Tail County District Court.
Tessa Anna Mickelson, 22, of Pelican Rapids, Minn., was charged with three felony counts of criminal vehicular homicide or operation, and one gross misdemeanor count of third-degree DWI.
According to the criminal complaint, the 911 call came in at about 2:30 a.m. Sunday from a campground on Otter Tail Lake. Witnesses reportedly said Mickelson was driving around the area, and almost crashed into several occupied tents, nearly injuring several people. Mickelson allegedly drove through the camping area at a high speed. Several people reportedly stepped in front of the vehicle to try to get Mickelson to stop.
The victim at one point reportedly reached in and pulled the keys from the ignition and handed them to someone else. Mickelson got the keys back somehow and tried to leave, but the victim opened the driver’s door, reached in and sat on Mickelson’s lap in an attempt to stop her, the report says. Mickelson allegedly put the vehicle in reverse and quickly accelerated, causing the victim to fall out of the car, hit the door, fall back and hit her head on the pavement.
The victim lost consciousness and did not remember anything after that, according to the report. An ambulance took her to a local hospital.
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When authorities arrived, Mickelson reportedly walked up with a smile on her face, placed her hands in front of her and told the sergeant to cuff her and take her to jail. She admitted to driving the vehicle and injuring the woman, saying the victim was stupid for trying to take the keys when she was driving, the report says.
A preliminary breath test showed Mickelson’s blood alcohol content to be 0.189, and she was arrested.
Mickelson’s next court appearance is scheduled for July 7.
