The driver at the center of the Park Tavern tragedy has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for his actions.
We’ve talked about the Park Tavern tragedy on this blog a few times since the incident where an inebriated 57-year-old driver crashed into the St. Louis Park bar patio, killing two people and injuring a dozen more.
The man at the center of that incident, Steven Frane Bailey, had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.335, more than four times the legal limit when he crashed his vehicle into the outdoor patio, which took the life of 30-year-old Kristina Folkerts and 30-year-old Gabriel Harvey. The incident also served as the catalyst for change at the state level, as Bailey was legally driving despite having five drunken driving convictions on his record between 1985 and 2015. Legislators pushed for longer lookback periods and increased ignition interlock periods for individuals convicted of driving drunk. You can learn more about the specifics of those legal changes on this blog, but it essentially changed the period for which an individual must stay in good standing in the ignition interlock program:
One Previous DWI – Old: One Year. New: Two Years
Two Previous DWIs – Old: Two Years. New: Six Years
Three Or More DWIs – Old: Four Years. New: 10 Years
Agrees To Plea Deal
Bailey initially faced criminal vehicular homicide and criminal vehicular operation charges for the crash, but the attorney’s office added murder charges eight days after the incident. Six days before a trial was set to begin, Bailey entered guilty pleas in Hennepin County District Court to two counts of third-degree murder and three counts of criminal vehicular operation causing great bodily harm. Despite the plea, Bailey was sentenced to the maximum 30 years in prison for his actions.
Although it will not bring their loved ones back, hopefully the maximum sentence brings some semblance of closure to the victim’s families and to those who were injured both physically and emotionally during the crash. Hopefully the new DUI changes help to keep our roads safer while also ensuring that individuals get the help they need to overcome substance abuse disorders so that they can make healthier choices in the future.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims’ families. If you or someone you know needs legal help in the greater Twin Cities area, we hope you’ll connect with Avery and the team at Appelman Law Firm today at (952) 224-2277.
