Hit and run accident at Union Hill left 334 without power

(Updated story 3/15)

A New Prague man was cited for a single vehicle crash that happened in Union Hill on Saturday, March 11 at about 3:30 a.m.

A blue 2016 Dodge Ram 1500 was traveling south on Scott County 7 (Church Avenue), ran through the stop sign at MN 19, crossed MN 19 and Hub Drive, sliced through a power pole, over three mailboxes, and ended up in the St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church's old schoolhouse parking lot.

Scott County Sheriff’s Office initially responded to the scene but called in the Le Sueur County Sheriff’s Office to lead the scene, since the incident was just across the county line.

The vehicle sustained heavy damage on the front and body. A Le Sueur County Sheriff’s Deputy noted in their incident report, “Upon searching the vehicle I did not locate anything of substantial value or concern…I observed airbags had deployed in multiple areas and no signs of blood or bodily injury were located.”

With the driver not at the scene, Belle Plaine Police Department and New Prague Police Department were contacted to make attempts to locate the driver at their home, which were unsuccessful. A witness, at a neighboring house to the accident, was awoken to the crash and observed a male walking east from the incident on MN 19 with his cell phone up to his ear.

According to the incident report from the Le Sueur County Sheriff’s Office, a Le Sueur County Sheriff’s Deputy was able to make contact with the driver at his residence in New Prague at about 11 p.m. where he admitted to driving the vehicle at the time of the incident. The driver said in the report that they had consumed three beers at a bar in Belle Plaine and fell asleep at the wheel coming home. It also stated that he said he was uninjured in the crash and called a friend to pick him up, who took them to a residence in Montgomery for the night. It’s noted in the report that the driver didn’t call 911 because... Pick up the March 16 edition of the Montgomery Messenger to read the full story. Subscribe online at MontgomeryMNNews.com. Digital subscription included.