A Minnesota Department of Transportation camera recorded a fatal crash on Interstate 694 at U.S. 10 on Feb. 16, 2024. A Minneapolis man, Luis Eduardo Tipantuna Quinchiguano, was found to be extremely intoxicated at the time of the crash, with a blood-alcohol level almost triple the legal limit. The accident led to the death of a couple, Curtis John O’Connor, 76, and Karin Leigh O’Connor, 74, both of New Brighton, who were declared dead at the scene.
Quinchiguano, 31, has been charged in Ramsey County District Court with four counts of criminal vehicular homicide, which include two for gross negligence while driving and two for driving negligently under the influence of alcohol. He is currently pending his first court appearance.
According to the criminal complaint and witness statements, Quinchiguano was at the wheel of a 2008 Chevrolet Equinox when he hit a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, forcing it in front of a semitrailer. Open bottles of alcohol were found in the Equinox and the car smelled of alcohol. Although Quinchiguano was unconscious but breathing following the crash, he didn’t seem injured.
Quinchiguano was reported to have bloodshot and glassy eyes, and a strong smell of alcohol was noted. He was so intoxicated that paramedics decided he needed hospitalization. A result of a breath test indicated 0.218 BAC, far higher than the 0.08 legal limit. Results of a blood test are yet to come. Prior to the crash, witnesses and video from the semitrailer indicated that Quinchiguano had been driving erratically, frequently changing lanes without signaling and weaving through traffic.
Read more – Source