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Park Tavern crash driver faces more charges
Steven Bailey, the driver of a vehicle that crashed into Park Tavern in St. Louis Park, killing two people, now faces two third-degree murder charges.
ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. (FOX 9) - Steven Bailey, the driver facing several charges after prosecutors say he crashed into the patio of Park Tavern in St. Louis Park, has been granted a conditional release order – providing a path for him to be released from jail as he awaits a trial.
Release conditions
On Oct. 1, 2024, Hennepin County judge Juan Hoyos signed a conditional release order for Bailey, who is charged with two counts of third-degree murder, two counts of criminal vehicular homicide and nine counts of criminal vehicular operation in connection to the Sept. 1 crash.
Bailey is set to be released on Oct. 14, 2024, if he can post a $500,000 bond while obeying the following conditions: no direct contact with victims, their families or Park Tavern; no firearm possession; and being subjected to random alcohol testing. He is also prohibited from operating a vehicle or leaving Minnesota.
As part of the conditions, Bailey will also be on electronic home monitoring and will be transported by his lawyer upon release to the NUWAY Alliance treatment facility.
What happened?
Police say surveillance video shows Bailey driving his vehicle into the parking lot of Park Tavern just after 8 p.m. on Sept. 1.
According to the complaint, Bailey tried to back into a parking spot, but struck another car. He then pulled out of the spot and accelerated into the patio area outside the restaurant.
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. According to the Cleveland Clinic, a blood-alcohol level between 0.30 and 0.40 puts you at risk for alcohol poisoning and losing consciousness. The University of Toledo lists 0.31 and above as the range for a potential coma.
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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.
According to the complaint, officers heard Bailey on the phone saying he "hit the gas instead of the brake and went right through a thing… I'm probably going to jail."
When told he was being arrested, Bailey said: "You got to be kidding me" and "my life's pretty much f---ed now, isn't it?"
Bailey has five previous drunken driving convictions on his driving record, court records show.
How to help
Two people were killed in the crash: Park Tavern server Kristina Folkerts and Methodist Hospital employee Gabe Harvey.
Folkerts was working at the time she was killed, while Harvey was out with coworkers celebrating someone's last day at Methodist.
At least nine people were also injured in the crash, including four of Harvey's coworkers, who have been identified as Theo Larson, Tegan D’Albani, Laura Knutsen and Eric Schefers.
Online fundraisers have been created to support the victims and families of victims, including:
A memorial for all the victims of the crash was erected outside Park Tavern.
What’s next?
Bailey has another court hearing on Dec. 10, 2024, before in Hennepin County.
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Park Tavern crash: Fundraiser being held for victims
Bunny's Bar and Grill is hosting a fundraiser on Tuesday to benefit the victims of the deadly crash at Park Tavern in St. Louis Park. FOX 9's Se Kwon has the story.