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Park Tavern crash charges filed against driver
Charges have been filed against the driver of a vehicle involved in a deadly crash at St. Louis Park’s Park Tavern on Sunday night. FOX 9’s Mary McGuire has the latest update.
ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. (FOX 9) - Alleged drunk driver Steven Bailey, who struck and killed two people while injuring several others with his car at Park Tavern in St. Louis Park on Labor Day weekend, will be headed to trial in May after pleading not guilty.
What we know
Judge Juan Hoyos entered a not guilty plea on behalf of Bailey on Tuesday as he faces charges of third-degree murder, criminal vehicular homicide and driving under the influence.
Court records show that Bailey, 56, has five previous drunk driving convictions on his driving record dating back to 1985.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty previously said Bailey took a breath test after the crash, testing four times the legal limit with a blood-alcohol content (BAC) of 0.325.
Two people were killed during the crash, including Park Tavern waitress Kristina Folkerts.
FOX 9 previously shared Folkerts' story, after she started working at Park Tavern, following in the footsteps of her mother – who was also a beloved server at the tavern for decades before she passed away in 2008. After becoming a mother herself, Folkerts had decided to return to the tavern for a job.
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Memorial grows outside Park Tavern after crash
Park Tavern in St. Louis Park is closed until further notice after a deadly crash on its patio Sunday night left two people dead and three others injured.
Bailey has posted a $500,000 bond, and is currently undergoing alcohol abuse treatment at a sober house while on electronic home monitoring.
A trial is currently set to begin May 12.
Trial wanted
Folkert’s mother-in-law, Mary Smith, was at Tuesday’s hearing, and is demanding justice.
"We miss her incredibly. We've had Thanksgiving without her. We'll have Christmas without her. She was a vibrant, vibrant young woman," Smith told FOX 9’s Paul Blume. "It's important for me to let him know that he impacted so many people's lives by his actions, by his choices. And I will be there through the whole trial."
Smith says she hopes an appropriate verdict will be found against Bailey for his alleged actions that night.
"He killed two people… I want to see a trial. I want to see a jury convict him," Smith said. "I can't understand what possible defense there could be for what he's done."
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Remembering the Park Tavern crash victims
Kristina Folkerts, one of the victims of the fatal crash at Park Tavern in St. Louis Park, Minn., had a deep, lifelong connection to Park Tavern where she worked as a server, that FOX 9 had previously profiled.
Victim anger remains
In October, FOX 9’s Maury Glover spoke with Tegan D’Albani, who was one of the victims of the crash when she was seated on the patio of Park Tavern celebrating one of her coworkers starting graduate school.
D’Albani says she remains upset that Bailey has been released to a treatment facility while he waits to go on trial, as she remains confined to a wheelchair and learning to walk again.
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Park Tavern crash victim recalls experience
Tegan D’Albani was one of the victims when Steven Bailey allegedly drunkenly crashed into the patio of Park Tavern in St. Louis Park in September. FOX 9’s Maury Glover spoke with her during an exclusive interview to recall her harrowing experience, and learn about her road to recovery now.