Man charged in deadly Park Tavern DWI crash pleads guilty
Why the suspected drunk driver in the Park Tavern fatal crash is facing additional charges
Why the suspected drunk driver in the Park Tavern fatal crash is facing additional charges
Why the suspected drunk driver in the Park Tavern fatal crash is facing additional charges
Steven Bailey, the Minnesota man charged in last year's deadly drunken driving crash at Park Tavern in St. Louis Park, pleaded guilty to multiple charges on Wednesday morning.
Bailey, 56, is accused of plowing into more than a dozen people on Park Tavern's patio on Sept. 1, 2024, killing server Kristina Folkerts and Methodist Hospital employee Gabe Harvey. Both victims were 30 years old. Twelve others were hurt, with five suffering serious injuries.
He was originally charged with 16 criminal counts, including three charges added earlier this week.
Steven Bailey
HCAO
On Wednesday, he pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree murder and three counts of criminal vehicular operation. He must also pay restitution for all victims. Bailey is expected to face up to 30 years in prison. His sentencing date has not been scheduled.
According to the criminal complaint filed last year in Hennepin County, Bailey, of St. Louis Park, first struck a parked vehicle while backing his BMW X5 into a spot in Park Tavern's lot.
Bailey then struck an oncoming SUV before accelerating up to 45 mph and smashing through the patio's metal fence, the complaint states.
Kristina Folkerts and Gabe Harvey
GoFundMe
Officers at the scene say they overheard Bailey tell someone in a phone call that he "hit the gas instead of the brake and went right through a thing," and, "I'm f***ed," according to the complaint.
Bailey, whose blood alcohol level was four times the legal limit after the crash, has five prior convictions for driving while intoxicated, with the first case in 1985 and the last case in 2014, the complaint states.
Court records show he had an ignition interlock device — a breathalyzer system that prevents a car from starting if alcohol is detected on a driver's breath — on his vehicle for six years, which expired in 2020.
Last week, Minnesota lawmakers introduced a bill that aims to strengthen DWI laws, particularly around the use of ignition interlock devices.
NOTE: The original airdate of the video attached to this article is May 4, 2025.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
19 minutes ago
- New York Times
Some L.A. Protesters Are Marching for Neighbors and Family Members
Some of the people demonstrating in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday said they were first- or second-generation immigrants showing solidarity with their neighbors or family members, and a few expressed anger that their neighbors had received deportation orders. 'This is a real threat, this is not just talk,' said Zander Calderon, 36, a protester from northeast Los Angeles. He said he knew several people who had received such orders, as well as one neighbor who had self deported. 'He didn't want to live in fear,' Mr. Calderon, who wore a poncho with an image of the Virgin Mary and the colors of the Mexican flag, said of the neighbor. Others said that although they were not regular protesters, the federal government's recent immigration raids had motivated them to take action. 'This morning I couldn't stay home anymore,' said Elizabeth Torres, 36, who was carrying a Mexican flag outside the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday morning, as a crowd of protesters began to swell. 'If the people that are detained can see me through the windows, just know that you're not alone.' Martín Hoecker-Martinez, a physics professor who was waving an American and a Colombian flag, said that he had traveled about an hour and a half to join the protests because he could not stay home in good conscience. 'I'm an American citizen, and I think that one of the greatest points of pride of the United States is that we are a country of immigrants,' said Professor Hoecker-Martinez, whose mother came from Colombia. 'I bristle when people deride the U.S. government as the embodiment of our collective will.' Nicole Garcia, 35, attended the protest with her teenage son. She said that while she worried about the safety risks of bringing him along, she wanted him to understand 'what it looks like when community comes together.' Ms. Garcia, who described herself as Mexican American, was veiled and wore a floral wreath and face paint symbolizing the Mexican Day of the Dead. Brianna Vargas, 24, who was standing on an overpass above the U.S. 101 highway with a megaphone in her hand, said she was protesting for her parents, who had emigrated from Mexico and El Salvador, and for others who were too afraid to leave their homes. Reposting messages of solidarity with victims of immigration enforcement raids on social media is one thing, she said. 'It's different when you're actually here.'
CBS News
34 minutes ago
- CBS News
Innocent Sacramento driver killed in police chase moved to U.S. to pursue American Dream, family says
SACRAMENTO – Family members of the innocent driver killed in a high-speed police chase in Sacramento have identified him as Nguyễn Huỳnh Hữu Đức, or Duc Nguyen. Nguyen, 30, immigrated to the U.S. from Vietnam four years ago for a better life and he was studying engineering. Family said he was working as a DoorDash driver when his car was hit during the police chase. MUOI DUC NGUYEN CBS13 obtained dash camera video showing the suspect vehicle speeding through a red light, colliding with Nguyen's car and then flying head-on into oncoming traffic. Sacramento police were chasing 33-year-old Daniel Cunningham, who was a wanted domestic violence suspect and parole violator. Police said that after he crashed, he got out of his car and tried to run away from the seven mangled cars before he was arrested. "They did have an initial right to pursue this man," said local attorney, unrelated to the case, Justin Ward. Ward said police pursuits take into account the safety of the public. "If there's a likelihood that the public will be injured or killed, they are supposed to stop pursuing that vehicle," Ward said. The suspect police were chasing could now face murder or manslaughter charges, according to Ward. CBS13 reviewed the Sacramento Police Department's pursuit protocol that says officers must consider if the pursuit is reasonable with regard to posted and safe speed limits and road, weather and traffic conditions. A spokesperson from the department could not tell CBS13 why their helicopter was not used and said they do not use drones to chase cars. The CHP is now investigating the police pursuit and deadly crash. CBS 3 spent hours with the mourning family on Sunday afternoon as over a dozen people gathered to pray for their loved one who was killed. The family brought Nguyen's favorite things to the intersection at Florin Road and called in monks to conduct a prayer to bring his soul home. People in the Pocket neighborhood stopped by to pay their respects, including the former Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg with his wife. As family and friends of Nguyen are beginning the painful process of mourning this sudden loss of a Sacramento man whose move here for the American dream turned deadly. MUOI DUC NGUYEN Family said Nguyen's wife was months away from joining him in America and they were preparing to start a family.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Police searching for attempted murder suspect in Waikiki
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Honolulu police opened an attempted murder investigation after a man allegedly attacked parents in Waikiki. Early morning vehicle collisions hospitalize two According to a HPD social media post, on June 8, HPD received a 911 call that a woman and her 77-year-old husband were struck multiple times with a blunt object by their 29-year-old son, who fled the scene. The woman and her husband were taken to a nearby area hospital in serious condition. Police say the suspect is a Caucasian male wearing a dark shirt and jeans, last seen fleeing towards Ala Moana Shopping investigation is ongoing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
