FARGO — A Minnesota man has pleaded guilty to driving recklessly and crashing into and pinning a North Dakota Department of Transportation worker against the median cable barrier.
Charles Debolt Hart, 63, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, entered the plea on Monday, Dec. 4, in Cass County District Court to reckless driving, a Class B misdemeanor. Judge John Irby sentenced Hart to almost a year of unsupervised probation.
Hart also must pay $250 in court fees. He will not serve any jail time for the charge.
The case stems from a crash that happened early afternoon Nov. 23, 2022, on Interstate 94 near Mapleton, North Dakota. Hart was driving a Cadillac Escalade west on the interstate when he crashed into a DOT plow in the left lane, which was blocked off to traffic, according to a North Dakota Highway Patrol report.
Minnesota man sentenced for hitting North Dakota highway worker fixing cable barrier
At the time of the crash, DOT workers were repairing a cable barrier that separated the interstate, the report said. Hart disregarded signs that warned him of the work and lane closure, law enforcement said.
After hitting the plow, Hart struck a pickup and began to spin, law enforcement said. He then hit Ryan Jamieson, of West Fargo, and pinned the DOT worker against the cable barrier, the report said.
Court records accused Hart of distracted driving before the crash. He initially was charged with aggravated reckless driving, a Class A misdemeanor.
Jamieson’s co-workers freed him, law enforcement said. He was taken to Sanford Hospital in Fargo to be treated for serious injuries.
Hart and his juvenile daughter, who was also in the vehicle, suffered minor injuries, according to the Highway Patrol.
Source : InForum
