Drunk-driver who killed two in 2024 crash at Park Tavern pleads guilty
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The man who was drunk behind the wheel when he crashed into the patio of the Park Tavern in St. Louis Park last summer, killing two people and injuring nine others, has pleaded guilty.
After initially pleading not guilty, Steven Bailey, 56, reached a plea deal with prosecutors on Wednesday that has seen him plead guilty to two counts of 3rd-degree murder and three counts of criminal vehicular operation resulting in great bodily harm.
Under the terms of the deal, Bailey is facing a sentence of 25-30 years in prison.
Steven BaileyHennepin County Jail
The shocking crash resulted in the deaths of Park Tavern server Kristina Folkerts, 30, of St. Louis Park, and Methodist Hospital employee Gabe Harvey, 30, of Rosemount.
The plea deal comes after Hennepin County Attorney's Office filed news charges against Bailey on Tuesday to account for three more people who were injured in the crash, bringing the total number injured to 12.
GoFundMe
Video evidence showed Bailey would've had a clear view of the patio, tables, umbrellas, and people seated outside when he pulled into the Park Tavern parking lot on the evening of Aug. 31, 2024, and as he was attempting to back into an open parking space, he struck another vehicle.
Rather than parking, Bailey began to drive away and "can be seen accelerating at a high rate of speed in what appears to be an attempt to flee the scene," prosecutors said when charges were filed.
While attempting to flee, Bailey struck a black SUV that was driving in the parking lot, before accelerating his vehicle through a metal fence and into the patio seating area.
Mr. Bailey's BMW struck multiple occupied tables and multiple people.
Bailey, who had five previous DWI convictions, gave a breath test reading of 0.325, more than four times the legal limit in Minnesota.
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