Man charged in fatal hit-and-run had no valid driver’s license

Published 12:43 pm Friday, December 18, 2015

The Hartland man charged with criminal vehicular homicide in a fatal hit-and-run on Wednesday in Albert Lea did not have a valid driver’s license at the time of the crash, according to Freeborn County District Court documents.

Leslie David Jones

Leslie David Jones

Leslie David Jones, 51, made his first appearance Friday in front of Freeborn County District Court Judge Steve Schwab on the charge.

Jones is charged in connection with a crash on East Main Street near McDonald’s that killed Joanne Carol Klein, 66, of Albert Lea.

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Court documents detail the events before and after the crash as shown on a surveillance camera at a nearby business.

The video depicted Klein standing on the side of the road, near McDonald’s, preparing to cross Main Street. She reportedly delayed crossing at the curb, looking both ways before crossing. As she crossed the inner lane, next to the median, she was reportedly struck by a blue or bluish-green Ford Ranger extended cab pickup at 6:28 p.m.

Klein was pronounced dead at 6:45 p.m.

The driver reportedly stopped the vehicle, turned on Main Street, and parked in the Cars-n-Credit parking lot, where he turned off his headlights and exited the vehicle.

He then reportedly crossed Main Street and walked over to Klein. He allegedly stood there for a moment, then walked on Main Street along the route where he had just traveled. He then reportedly walked off camera and then returned to the area where the woman was, before beginning to cross the street toward his pickup.

A police officer then reportedly arrived and rendered aid to Klein.

Jones reportedly then crossed the street and stood behind the officer’s vehicle while the officer went into the back of his vehicle for his medical kit.

According to the complaint, Jones appeared to have no contact with the officer before then crossing the street, getting into his pickup truck and driving away at about 6:32 p.m.

A state trooper arrived on the scene and took measurements. An Albert Lea Police Department detective collected evidence, including two pieces of the left side of a dark-colored bug deflector, 22 pieces of a side signal and marker light, a tennis shoe, a glove and a pair of sunglasses.

Officers reportedly found a truck the next morning at Motor Inn’s detail shop that later registered to a family member of Jones with the same last name. Court documents state the truck’s bug shield was broken above the driver’s side headlight, and a small dent was in the hood. The lens of the front signal was missing, and the area around the headlight was cracked.

A police department detective entered the shop and came out with Jones, according to the court file.

Jones was reportedly carrying a jacket that officers recognized from the video as having been worn by the driver of the truck.

Court documents stated Jones was reportedly shaking and crying and said he was going to call Wednesday night but didn’t; he said his phone was dead.

As an officer frisked Jones, he reportedly said that he had wanted to kill himself the night before but didn’t.

The officer reportedly attempted to reassure Jones that everything would be OK; Jones reportedly responded that it wouldn’t, and his life was over.

Jones reportedly had no Minnesota driver’s license and an expired Utah driver’s license.

As the officer drove past the scene of the incident with Jones, Jones reportedly said, “Oh my God … Oh my God … right there … Oh God…” Jones reportedly continued to mutter and was crying with what was described as a very distraught face.

Assistant Freeborn County Attorney Erin O’Brien argued for bail on Friday, saying that Jones fled the scene and has only been in the area for two years.

Jones requested a public defender, and Schwab set conditional bail at $150,000, contingent on Jones not using alcohol or controlled substances, remaining law abiding, random testing and other court requirements.

If convicted of criminal vehicular homicide, Jones faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. If convicted of not having a Minnesota driver’s license, he faces a maximum sentence of 90 days imprisonment and a $1,000 fine.

He is next scheduled to appear at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 31.

 

 

About Sam Wilmes

Sam Wilmes covers crime, courts and government for the Albert Lea Tribune.

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