Burnsville Teen Pleads Guilty in Buck Hill Crash that Killed Two

The Burnsville teen driver who was charged with criminal vehicular homicide in the 2012 Buck Hill Road crash that killed two teenagers from Burnsville pleaded guilty on Tuesday, the Dakota County Attorney's Office announced on Wednesday.

The driver, now 18, was 17 when the crash occurred on Aug. 21, 2012. He pleaded guilty to:

• two counts of criminal vehicular homicide involving gross negligence, 
• one felony county of criminal vehicular operation involving gross negligence resulting in bodily harm, and 
• one gross misdemeanor count of criminal vehicular operation involving gross negligence resulting in bodily harm.

His sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 23 in Hastings.

The Burnsville teen was driving his car 96 miles per hour on Buck Hill Road, weaving back and forth while accelerating, Patch reported. He lost control of the vehicle, which spun 180 degrees before tumbling six or seven times end-over-end down a hill. The vehicle came to a rest on southbound I-35.

Backseat passengers Frederick Jeffrey Alexander, age 16, and Alesha Katherine Roehl, age 17, both of Burnsville were ejected from the vehicle and killed. Two Lakeville South students were injured: Jonathan L. Thomas, 16, of Lakeville and Rey Chacon, 17, of Burnsville.

According to the Dakota County Attorney's Office: the case was filed under Minnesota’s extended juvenile jurisdiction statute. The statute provides for a stayed adult prison sentence and extends the juvenile court’s jurisdiction over the case until the individual convicted of the crimes reaches age 21.

Related:

Second Teen Dies After Fatal Crash on I-35W

Passengers in Tuesday's Fatal Crash Identified

Burnsville Teen Driver Charged in 2012 Car Crash That Killed 2