Driver charged in Lake Elmo crash that killed 5-year-old girl

LAKE ELMO, Minn. (FOX 9) – A 48-year-old driver is facing charges in connection with a traffic accident in Lake Elmo that killed a five-year-old girl earlier this year.

The indictment

Jeffrey Dean Alexander Jr. of St. Paul faces two charges of vehicular manslaughter, including negligent operation of a vehicle and negligent operation of a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.

Alexander was arraigned on Monday by summons in Washington County.

The crash

The accident occurred on January 20, 2024 at around 8:45 p.m. at the intersection of Highway 36 and Lake Elmo Boulevard.

According to the indictment, a Ford vehicle was stuck in the left lane of eastbound Highway 36 due to a mechanical problem and had its hazard lights on.

The driver of another vehicle swerved to avoid the broken-down vehicle, but the driver of a Nissan Pathfinder did not do so and rammed the Ford from behind.

Morgan Petersen, a five-year-old girl in the Ford vehicle, was seriously injured in the accident and later succumbed to her injuries.

“She was always happy. She was a great little girl. She was the sunshine of my life. Every day she woke up and wanted to do something nice, listen to music videos and dance,” her father previously told FOX 9.

The allegations

The criminal complaint states that a blood test after the accident showed that Alexander had a blood alcohol content of 0.056 and that he had taken the prescription drug clonazepam.

The criminal complaint alleges that the Nissan driver was traveling at 81 mph seconds before the collision and hit the vehicle at 62-63 mph, and allegedly “failed to maintain sufficient distance between his vehicle and the vehicles in front of him to react to hazards on the roadway.”

What happens next?

Alexander's first appearance is scheduled for October 2nd.

If convicted, the defendants face up to ten years in prison and a $20,000 fine.