Woman charged in Chisago County crash that killed 4-year-old, injured multiple others

A woman has been charged in a crash that left a 4-year-old dead and multiple other people injured in Chisago County.

Ashlee Rose Klapperick, 36, was charged on Tuesday with six counts of criminal vehicular operation while under the influence of a controlled substance.

According to court documents, on Friday at about 6:18 p.m., law enforcement responded to a report of a two-vehicle crash on Rush Lake Trail in Nessel Township.

Deputies found two vehicles — a 2012 Chevy Cruze and a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivan — with significant damage to the front end.

Authorities identified the driver of the Chevy as Klapperick, who had a 4- and 3-year-old in the backseat at the time of the crash.

First responders found the 4-year-old had a significant brain injury, and the 3-year-old sustained a broken collarbone in the crash.

The Chisago County Sheriff’s Office initially said the 4-year-old boy was in critical condition with life-threatening injuries and the 3-year-old was released from the hospital into protective care.

In an update on Thursday, the Chisago County Sheriff’s Office said that the 4-year-old died from his injuries. He was identified by authorities as Anthony J. Sobaski.

The woman driving the Chrysler had three children — ages 9, 4 and 3 — in the car at the time of the crash, court records say.

She told authorities she was going south on Rush Lake Trail and said the other vehicle swerved from the northbound lane of traffic into the southbound lane. She turned into the north lane to avoid the collision, but the other vehicle tried to correct and swerved back into the north lane, striking her vehicle head-on.

The woman and her children were brought to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

Officials spoke with Klapperick, who said that when she was driving, she was doing “squeezy blinks,” and when she opened her eyes, the van was right there.

Klapperick told officials that she used meth and weed recently.

Deputies searched the Chevy and found a glass pipe with residue, two pieces of tightly folded tinfoil and a small round tin container between the front passenger seat and center console. The tin contained a crystal-like substance that tested positive for meth.

Klapperick is currently at Regions Hospital and will be discharged in the near future, according to court documents.

The Chisago County Attorney’s Office has been made aware of the fatality in the crash and will be reviewing for additional charges.