Semi driver charged in fatal Highway 13 crash, allegedly driving in traffic, on a video call at time of collision
Photo illustration: car crash / MGN
(ABC 6 News) – UPDATE: A semi truck driver faces criminal charges after a fatal crash on Highway 13 on June 21.
Darryn Turner Bullock, 35, was charged with felony criminal vehicular homicide–operate motor vehicle in a grossly negligent manner–after hitting 58-year-old Scott Bolduan of New Richland in the southbound lane of Highway 13.
According to court documents, witnesses claim Bullock, driving northbound, had been tailgating vehicles and attempted to pass another semi truck using the left, southbound lane at about 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, June 21.
According to court documents, Bullock had hired a taxi driver to follow him from Albert Lea to Lake Crystal, where Bullock would deliver a semi trailer.
According to the taxi driver, Bullock was speeding, tailgating, and attempting to pass drivers on the right on Highway 13, before he tried to pass another semi in the southbound lane.
The taxi driver told law enforcement both semis were side-by-side, heading north when Bullock collided with Bolduan in the southbound lane.
Bullock told law enforcement both he and Bolduan swerved the same way, into the shoulder of the southbound lane, to try to avoid the crash, according to court documents.
Bullock allegedly told law enforcement he was on a video call on his tablet at the time of the crash.
Bolduan died at the scene of the crash, while Bullock was transported to an Owatonna emergency department with non-life-threatening injuries.
He was later arrested at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport June 22, according to court documents.
Bullock is scheduled to appear in court Aug. 29 for a settlement conference.
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(ABC 6 News) – A New Richland man died in a car crash on Highway 13 Wednesday.
According to the Minnesota State Patrol, 58-year-old Scott Bolduan was traveling southbound on Highway 13 between Hartland and New Richland at about 11:07 a.m.
A 35-year-old Dallas, NC man was traveling north and the vehicles collided on the southbound shoulder.
Troopers say Bolduan wasn’t wearing a seat belt and died at the scene.
According to the crash report, the semi driver suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Highway 13 remained closed after the fatal crash until about 4 p.m.