Police say man was drunk when he drove off road

By William Morris

Owatonna People’s Press

OWATONNA — Police said an Albert Lea man was drunk in October when he drove his car into a field and started a fire that killed his passenger.

Peter Escobar, 24, was charged Dec. 13 and made his first appearance Thursday on counts of second-degree manslaughter, criminal vehicular homicide and driving while intoxicated in the death of Herman Hernandez, 64, of Albert Lea. The manslaughter and homicide charges carry up to 10 years imprisonment each.

Hernandez was found after police, responding to a report of an intoxicated person, spotted a car ablaze Oct. 23 in a field near the 2600 block of 52nd Avenue. After firefighters extinguished the blaze, Hernandez’s badly burned body was found in the front passenger seat. An autopsy found Hernandez apparently died of smoke inhalation and heat injuries.

According to the complaint, police investigating the scene received a second report of a man knocking on doors asking for directions. Officers located Escobar, who said he had been watching the Vikings game at an Albert Lea bar where he’d drunk beer and free shots for every touchdown, and that he’d driven to Owatonna alone but now didn’t know where his car was.

When told police had found Hernandez dead in a car, he said Hernandez had driven with him, sharing a bottle of alcohol as he drove, and said he blacked out and didn’t remember what happened to his car or Hernandez.

Investigators from the sheriff’s office and State Fire Marshal’s office examined the scene and concluded that Escobar was likely driving west on 26th Street NW and missed the turn onto 43rd Avenue NW, instead driving into the field to the west. Investigators believe Escobar left the vehicle running, and that heat from the engine and exhaust ignited dry grass under the car, which led to the car catching fire.

Police also spoke with an insurance employee who said Escobar filed a claim that his brakes had gone out and he’d run off the road; and to a witness who said he’d seen someone matching Escobar’s description stumbling through a field near the crash site shortly before the fire was found.

Court records show Escobar’s only past conviction was in August for fleeing police. On Tuesday, he was released on his own recognizance in lieu of a $20,000 bail. His next hearing is set for Feb. 2.