A Minnesota woman has been charged with criminal vehicular homicide after allegedly causing a head-on collision that killed an 82-year-old woman, claiming her dog grabbed the steering wheel.
Incident Details
Shauna Rae Dokken, 43, is accused of driving negligently while under the influence of a controlled substance on May 29. She allegedly drove her Ford pickup truck onto the wrong side of the road and collided with a Kia Sorento driven by Barbara Lee Welberg, 82. The impact flipped Welberg's vehicle, and she died at the scene. Dokken sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to hospital.
Conflicting Accounts
According to court documents, Dokken has given varying explanations for the crash. In one version, she claimed her dog distracted her and then grabbed the steering wheel, causing her to lose control. Police received multiple reports of Dokken driving erratically before the crash. One witness reported swerving onto the shoulder to avoid her vehicle and felt the driver was intentionally trying to hit him.
Substance Influence
Officers noted that Dokken had slurred speech when questioned. She admitted to taking prescription drugs, including Buspar, Lorazepam, and Adderall. She is charged with criminal vehicular homicide and is being held at Roseau County Jail on $200,000 bail. A detention order was signed by District Court Judge Tamara Yon.
Legal Proceedings
Dokken is scheduled to appear in court on June 10 for a probation violation hearing. If convicted, she faces up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. The case remains under investigation.
