Drunk-driver who killed two in 2024 crash at Park Tavern pleads guilty
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways
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.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Southern California mother deported after immigration hearing
Loved ones are heartbroken after a Southern California mother was detained and deported after a routine immigration hearing. Maria Valeriano Perez, 52, is a mother of three children who has lived in the U.S. for 35 years. She had been working as a custodian in Ventura County for years. Her family said she attended an immigration appointment on June 4 and, instead of receiving an update on her case, she was immediately handcuffed and taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). She was transported to a federal detention center in downtown L.A. and was eventually deported to Oaxaca, Mexico. Maria's daughter, Erika Perez, said she was not only in shock over her mother's detainment, but also by the reportedly heartbreaking conditions her mother had witnessed. 'She told me about women inside banging doors, begging for food,' Erika told KTLA's Sandra Mitchell. 'They were so hungry that they would pretend they were drinking [and eating.]' Erika said her mother described the detention facility conditions as bleak — a place where men, women and children were crowded into a single room for processing. 'The women would crawl under benches and start crying just to escape the nightmare that they were going through,' Erika said. Kamilla Ponce, whose uncle was also detained by ICE, said he was not provided with much information during the process. 'They didn't even ask if they had papers or if they were documented or had proof of ID, they just rounded them all up,' Ponce said. Her uncle, Rodolfo Ponce Flores, was taken into custody during a raid in the Garment District in downtown L.A. on June 6. She said in just a few days, he had been moved to at least three different facilities across three different counties in SoCal. 'We tried to go see him, but they said, 'No,'' Ponce said. 'They were not letting anybody in, not even the lawyers.' Although Erika said her mother has accepted her fate that she may never gain U.S. citizenship, it doesn't change the effect her absence will have on her friends, loved ones and community members. 'She told me to take care of my siblings and that it's going to be okay,' Erika said of her last conversation with her mother before she was deported. 'I'm just devastated. She's gone now. She left me alone to raise my two other siblings.' Under a new policy from the Trump Administration, Maria would not be able to apply for re-admission into the U.S. for another 10 years. A GoFundMe page to help the Perez family can be found here. A campaign to help Ponce's uncle can be found here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Alarming scene at popular Aussie tourist spot sparks warning: 'Sick to the stomach'
Pictures taken of an adult and child fishing near the edge of an Australian river known to be home to hungry saltwater crocodiles have sparked a debate online. The anonymous duo were snapped at the infamous Cahills Crossing in Kakadu this week, just metres from signs warning tourists that a fatality occurred nearby. The images were shared on a social media page popular with 4WD enthusiasts, where some said the pair looked to be at a 'reasonable distance' from the water's edge. 'Doesn't look that bad,' one person said. However others were more cautious, with one saying the image made him feel 'sick to the stomach' with worry. 'What is wrong with people?' another said. Yahoo spoke to three of Australia's top experts in the predator's behaviour to better understand the dangers involved with navigating crocodile country. Professional crocodile wrangler Tommy Hayes said while it's hard to tell how close the people in the photograph are to the water's edge, it's good the image sparked debate and that people are aware of the extreme danger the reptiles pose. 'I'm glad people are paying attention, and not shrugging it off,' he said. Matt Cornish, the co-founder of Community Representation of Crocodiles (CROC), warned that the biggest danger to humans is 'complacency'. 'Cahills Crossing is considered to be a high-risk crocodile location where people need to be extremely vigilant,' he told Yahoo. 'We have had crocodile fatalities there over the last couple of decades." Because the stretch of river where the photograph was taken is also a popular fishing area, there are increased numbers of interactions between crocodiles and humans. Anyone visiting the area needs to ensure their fish are kept away from the water's edge. Tourists 'absolutely amazed' after witnessing incredible crocodile act Shock over 'insane' act at dangerous Aussie spot despite ongoing threat Tourists watch 'another victim' along famous Aussie road after 4WD warning Mick Bender, a licensed reptile handler and educator at Wildlife Unleashed, explained the recommendation is that people keep five metres back from the water's edge. 'That number is based off the strike range of the largest recorded salt water crocodile which was seven metres. Their strike range is half of their body length — that's tip of their nose to the base of their tail — and they can do that in the blink of an eye,' he told Yahoo News. 'So you're looking at a three and a half metre strike range right there. We obviously don't know how big crocs are, so you give yourself that little bit extra.' Crocodiles are so fast-moving that humans are unable to respond fast enough to move out of the way. Children are at more of a risk because smaller crocodiles will attack them. Mick warns that travellers also need to be mindful that crocodiles can launch themselves up in the air, towards anyone standing on a bank. This behaviour is often on display during boat trips, when tour guides tempt crocodiles high out of the water using meat attached to a stick. 'In the wild, crocodiles will use that to grab birds or bats flying over the river, that's how fast they are,' he said. 'People don't realise that there's no warning from a crocodile. It's not like you're going to see it coming. They're an ambush attack predator. They rely on being completely hidden and unseen.' Tommy believes that influencers who work with crocodiles have an important role to play in setting a good example for tourists. 'It's hard when you're battling d**kheads who say don't go near the water and then film themselves jumping in. You've got to lead by example,' he said. 'People see these Aussie larrikins doing it, and they go, 'he did it, so I will too'.' Tommy has a three-year-old son, who he's educated about the importance of staying away from the water. And he hopes the general public are now getting the message too. 'He's more croc-wise than I am. When we go fishing we're a minimum five metres back,' he said. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Minneapolis mother witnesses tragic murder-suicide involving 2-year-old
The Brief Just after midnight Monday, 2-year-old Kinsley was shot and killed by her father. He then turned the gun on himself. Kinsley's mother, Trisha Prinsen, says her boyfriend struggled with mental health, but Sunday had a crisis and behavior she had never seen before. Prinsen says she and her daughter were held hostage in their own home, unable to call for help before the shooting. MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A Minneapolis mother is dealing with tragedy after her 2-year-old daughter was shot and killed by her father, who then turned the gun on himself. What we know Police were called to the family's home on the 2900 block of Colfax Avenue North just after midnight Monday. They arrived to find the 2-year-old girl and her father both deceased. Trisha Prinsen says she and her daughter were not allowed to leave the home, and essentially held hostage. Her boyfriend was armed and having a mental crisis. She was able to text two friends to call police, but nothing happened. She did not know you can text 911 for help. What they're saying Trisha Prinsen says although she is angry and sad, her daughter loved her father very much, and that she loved him too. Prinsen says, "I still love him. It's gonna take me a while to forgive him but I still love him." At the height of the crisis, Kinsley went to hug her father, and that's when he shot her and turned the gun on himself. This happened right in front of Prinsen. "Really he just went into a mental psychosis thought people were living under the house, people were watching him. I can't explain it. I couldn't understand where his thinking had gone, he had never been like this before." Prinsen said. Prinsen went onto say, "I'll never be able to take away the images losing her, watching him do that in front of me. I'll never be able to take those images out of my head." Big picture view Prinsen hopes by sharing her story, it will help to raise mental health awareness. She hopes if someone is going through a crisis, or a loved one is struggling they will go get help. She also wants to spread the word that you can text 911, as she didn't know that and it may have helped to prevent such a horrible tragedy. What you can do Trisha is hoping to get help for funeral expenses through a GoFundMe.