Minnesota woman sentenced to 4 days in jail for texting fatality

Published 9:42 am Wednesday, August 17, 2016

LE CENTER — A woman accused of texting while driving and fatally striking an elderly man along a road in Le Sueur County has pleaded guilty to charges.

Forty-eight-year-old Susan Ann Russo reached an agreement with prosecutors who will recommend four days in jail and two years of probation. Russo pleaded guilty Tuesday to reckless driving and misusing a wireless device.

Seventy-nine-year-old Joseph Tikalsky was struck and killed last October as he retrieved his newspaper from the side of the road. Tikalsky was wearing a reflective vest and was on break from his school bus route.

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Sentencing for the New Prague woman is scheduled Oct. 17.