Crime & Safety

Man Convicted of Crashing Car, Injuring Pregnant Woman Arrested on Warrant

Justin John Svac, 33, had a blood alcohol level of .322 at the time of the crash.

After receiving a brief reprieve from jail time, a Bloomington man is back in the stir for his role in a crash that injured a pregnant woman.
Justin John Svac, 33, is once again in custody at the Dakota County Jail, perhaps for the long haul.

According to a criminal complaint written by the Minnesota State Patrol, the incident in question occurred on Oct. 17, 2012. At about 5:41 p.m. the patrol was called to an accident at the intersection of Highway 13 and Cliff Road in Burnsville. Svac, the driver of a Plymouth Voyager, had smashed into a Ford F150 while trying to make a right onto Cliff. When asked what lane he'd turned from, Svac said he believed he was in the left lane of Highway 13 at the time, but wasn't sure. 

Svac's passenger, a woman who was nine months pregnant, sustained injuries to her forehead. She was rushed to Fairview Ridges Hospital for treatment.

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Officers noticed an alcoholic odor emanating from Svac, who admitted that he'd had three beers at home. He failed field sobriety tests, and a preliminary breath test registered a blood alcohol level of .322, over four times the legal limit.

A check of Svac's criminal record revealed two DWI convictions, one in 2005 and another in 2011. 

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Svac was originally charged with one count of DWI, criminal vehicular operation, and reckless driving. On Oct. 25, 2012 he entered a guilty plea. In exchange, two charges were dismissed. Svac was convicted of criminal vehicular operation. The court sentenced him to 365 days in the Dakota County Jail, but stayed 351 days for four years. Instead, Svac was ordered to serve just 14, with credit for nine days already served. He was also ordered to pay restitution, a $100 fine, complete 12 days worth of community service, enroll in chemical dependency evaluation and treatment, attend Alcoholics Anonymous and a program called Safe Streets First.

If Svac made it through four years of probation without incident, the remaining jail time would be waived.

According to court documents, however, Svac failed to follow the extra conditions tacked onto his sentence, namely, satisfactory completion of chemical dependence programs. A warrant for his arrest was issued on Feb. 11. He was arrested and booked on Tuesday. 

The stay previously imposed on his sentence will be annulled, the warrant stated.


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