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Minnesota man had BAC 3X legal limit in crash that killed Iowan

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August 9th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

A 29-year-old Minnesota man now faces criminal charges for a weekend car crash in Minnesota that claimed the life of an Iowa woman. Brandon Patrick Dellwo, of Shakopee, is accused of criminal vehicular homicide. According to the complaint, Dellwo was driving drunk and going the wrong way on Highway 19 near Lonsdale in Rice County around midnight Sunday morning when his SUV hit a car head-on. The car’s driver, Kacy Elizabeth Merseal of Des Moines, Iowa, was killed in the crash.

Her passenger, 30-year-old Tanya Marie Von Weine of Story City, Iowa, was hospitalized. Police say Dellwo, whose criminal history includes traffic, alcohol and drug convictions, had a blood-alcohol content of .266, more than three times the legal limit. Reports say Merseal was an attorney and engaged to be married next year.

(John Mickelson, Southern Minnesota News, via Radio Iowa)