
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
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
New fencing along I-405 in downtown Portland aimed to deter camping
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Crews started installing new wrought iron fencing along the northbound side of Interstate 405 this week in downtown Portland, part of a joint effort by the city and state to improve safety and reduce camping near the freeway. The project is led by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) in partnership with Portland Solutions, the city's homelessness and livability team. It includes permanent fencing along Southwest 13th and 14th avenues, totaling nearly $840,000. According to city officials, fencing along Southwest 13th Avenue will cost $457,000, while work on 14th Avenue is estimated at $383,000. Due to supply chain delays, the city is also spending more than $64,000 on temporary silver fencing to secure the site in the interim. That fencing is expected to be reused on future projects. Despite the barriers, some unhoused residents are still accessing the area. 'I'm staying because it's very hot and I don't have a place to go,' said Shaana, a man who's lived on the streets for the past two years. ODOT spokesperson David House said the agency has been installing or repairing fencing near highways in Portland, Salem and Eugene for years to reduce hazards associated with unauthorized encampments. He emphasized that camping along state highway right-of-ways is illegal and often dangerous, not only for those living there but also for passing drivers and pedestrians. 'What we see is where people are camping, doing graffiti, or taking shortcuts across busy roads,' House said. 'It's something we've been doing for decades and will continue to do.' The fencing project falls within ODOT's current 2023–25 biennium budget, which ends this month. No additional state highway fencing projects are scheduled at this time, and the city said it does not have other immediate projects of this scale planned. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Dozens of anti-ICE protesters busted at Trump Tower after lobby takeover: ‘Bring them home!'
About two dozen anti-ICE protesters swarmed the lobby of Trump Tower in Manhattan Monday, and were busted after refusing to leave. The mostly grey-haired crowd sat together on the ground, chanting, 'Bring them back! Bring them home!' as NYPD cops descended on the Fifth Avenue skyscraper around 1 p.m. The group called for the release of inmates from the notorious hellhole prison CECOT in El Salvador – where migrants deported from the US, and even 'dangerous' American citizens convicted of heinous crimes are held in overcrowded cells. 'We are demanding that the administration bring back everyone from CECOT to the United States, release them ICE custody, return them to their homes and families and allow them their day in court,' demanded a woman leading the protest. The NYPD confirmed that the protesters were given multiple orders to disperse from the lobby, but refused to comply. An audio recording with the message, 'This is the New York City Police Department. You are occupying these premises unlawfully and without permission. I am ordering you to leave these premises now. If you refuse to leave, you may be subject to arrest,' played before police began placing the crew in zip-tie handcuffs. Sources say 24 demonstrators were rounded up by the NYPD. Charges were not immediately filed.
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Torched driverless taxis prompt Waymo to stop downtown L.A. service
After five of Waymo's driverless taxis went up in flames Sunday during anti-ICE protests in downtown Los Angeles, costing the company hundreds of thousands of dollars, questions remain about how the vehicles made their way into the area. Waymo eventually suspended service downtown after officials with the Los Angeles Police Department reportedly advised the company to do so. In footage captured by KTLA, a row of vehicles on North Los Angeles Street, near Arcadia Street, all tagged with graffiti, were seen fully engulfed in flames as dense black smoke thickened the air, while many of those on the street continued to vandalize and photograph them. While it's unclear exactly how protesters started the car fires, there were reports that spray paint was used as an accelerant, with video capturing at least one of the autonomous vehicles exploding. Police eventually closed Los Angeles Street north of Arcadia and South Alameda Streets and declared an unlawful assembly. Los Angeles Police Department Captain Erik Scott said that battery systems in electric vehicles are often difficult to apply water to during a fire and especially in the chaotic environment of Sunday evening's violent demonstrations. The department, according to Scott, had to just allow the cars to burn, which caused an increased threat to public health. L.A. driver goes on high-speed rampage amid violent downtown protests 'When lithium-ion batteries burn, they release hydrogen-fluoride gas that is a highly toxic substance that could damage your lungs and can be absorbed through the skin,' Scott explained. 'It can cause serious internal harm.' According to a 2024 report by the Wall Street Journal, analysts estimated that Waymo's driverless cars cost between $150,000 and $200,000 each. With the five destroyed robotaxis, the cost of damages would amount to roughly between $750,000 to $1 million, based on WSJ's estimate. As for how the Waymo taxis made their way downtown to begin with, investigators and the company are looking into whether protesters may have used the app to order up the cars and light them on fire or, as other have speculated, protesters intercepted the vehicles from customers attempting to flee the area. The company that the suspended downtown service may lead to increased wait times in other areas of L.A. and that as of right now, there is word on when service will resume in the area. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.