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Colton Nelson, 17, killed and three injured in car collision with suspected drunk driver on County Road 28 in Sandstone, Minnesota; Charles Theodore Hendricks, 34, charged with vehicular homicide

Modified Date: 
Sat, 11/07/2015 - 12:19pm
Accident Date: 
Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Sandstone Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Fatal Drunk Driving Crash

A Sandstone man who was charged with criminal vehicular homicide in connection with a crash that killed a popular high school student athlete back in February was sentenced to 4 ½ years in prison. Thirty-four-year-old Charles Theodore Hendricks pleaded guilty to one count of criminal vehicular homicide on Sept. 18 and was sentenced Friday to 54 months in prison with credit for 271 days served. Prosecutors say Hendricks was driving drunk when his truck hit a car driven by 17-year-old Colton Nelson. According to the criminal complaint, a Pine County deputy said Hendricks was covered in blood, crawling through debris and yelling, "What did I do? A Kanabec County deputy also observed a bottle of Smirnoff Vodka with a small amount left in the bottle, the complaint said.

Popular Sandstone High School Student Killed by Suspected Drunk Driver

"If you think about the kind of kid you want to have in school, he's that kind of kid," Kayla said. Nelson was the kind of all-American teenager any parent would be proud off.

Man Charged with Criminal Vehicular Homicide in Crash that Killed Sandstone Teen

A court complaint said a Pine County deputy said Hendricks was covered in blood, crawling through debris and yelling "What did I do? What did I do? I killed someone!"

In crash that killed Minnesota teen, arrest warrant issued for man

But the Kanabec County Sheriff's Office says the man's condition has improved and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.

Community mourns teen killed by alleged drunk driver

About 1,000 people attended the funeral Monday of a Sandstone teenager killed by an alleged drunk driver.
A suspected drunk driver caused a collision that killed Colton Nelson, 17, Monday night in Sandstone. Nelson's sister and a friend were injured in the crash. Nelson was a senior at East Central and a talented athlete and student. The head-on collision was caused by a suspected drunk driver who had a bottle of vodka in his truck.  The alleged drunk driver, Charles Theodore Hendricks of Sandstone was hospitalized in critical condition. He is charged in Kanabec County with vehicular homicide. The crash is under investigation; check back for updates.
Type: Car Accident
Topics: 
DWI - DUI - Alcohol or Drug Use, Head-on, Children/Minors Involved
People Involved: 
Colton Nelson
Charles Theodore Hendricks
Roadway: 
County Road 28
City: 
Township of Sandstone, MN
County: 
Pine County, MN
Area: 
Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN

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