Criminal Vehicular Homicide Charges Expected:Doctor Killed in Wright Co. Motorcycle-Golf Cart Crash

Criminal vehicular homicide charges are expected in the death of Eric Lefebvre. He was killed in Wright Co., MN when Korie Schiel hit him when Schiel was on his golf cart, a low-powered vehicle. Lefebvre was an obstetrician and gynecologist in Buffalo and Monticello. He was wearing a helmet at the time he was hit on his motorcycle. He had four children and a wife. Schiel was not seriously inured.

Schiel was illegally driving his golf cart on a public road not attached to a golf course. Low-powered vehicles, such as golf carts, are not allowed on roads with motor vehicles. Schiel has two DWI convictions, a driving without a valid license ticket, a careless driving conviction, and speeding tickets on his record. Schiel was trying to make a left turn into a driveway, but crashed into Lefebvre in the southbound lane. Residents in the neighborhood say that many people use golf carts to get around their homes and to get to the lakes. In Minnesota, driving drunk and causing a death of another through a Minnesota DWI accident constitutes the crime of Criminal Vehicular Homicide or Operation (CVH/CVO).  The presumptive sentence in the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines for Criminal Vehicular Homicide is 48 months in prison, assuming no prior felony convictions.

The investigation is still ongoing and the Wright County Attorney’s office has not yet filed charges. Schiel will need an experienced Minnesota criminal defense attorney to handle his case. If you have been involved in a crime and have not yet been charged, it is still important to retain an attorney NOW. Max A. Keller is frequently retained by individuals on a pre-charge basis, BEFORE they have been charged with any crime, like criminal vehicular homicide. Keller Criminal Defense Attorneys will notify the police or charging agency that counsel now represents the individual. The police and prosecutor will be told that all communication and correspondences should go through our firm. This ensures that the individual does not make any statements that will later harm the case. In some cases it is even possible to contact the charging agency, which sometimes leads to charges never being filed at all. Max A. Keller is experienced in dealing with cases beginning at the pre-charge stage. Contact Keller Criminal Defense Attorneys immediately if you need a Minnesota defense attorney in relation to an Minnesota accident  or Minnesota criminal vehicular homicide or criminal vehicular operation regarding a motor vehicle or low-powered vehicle where someone has been killed or injured.

He has won jury trial cases in misdemeanor and felony cases and in DWI’s and non-DWI’s. He is a member of the Minnesota Society for Criminal Justice, which only allows the top 50 criminal defense attorneys in the state as members. He is a frequent speaker at CLE’s and is often asked for advice by other defense attorneys across Minnesota.

What to Do If You Have Been Charged with a Criminal Offense

People facing criminal charges in Minnesota often ask, “Can you defend yourself in court?” You can represent yourself in court when charged with a crime. Self-representation, however, is not typically in the accused's best interests, even if courts allow it.
Parents whose children have been arrested or accused of committing a heinous crime might wonder, “Can a minor be charged with a felony?” A minor aged 14 years or older but below 18 years may face felony charges in Minnesota.
People accused of or under investigation for assault might ask, “What are the charges for assault?” Minnesota has five levels of assault charges. First-degree assault is the most serious offense, and a conviction often results in the most severe penalties, like long prison time and hefty fines.