Blaine man pleads guilty in 2019 fatal crash in Coon Rapids

A Blaine man has pleaded guilty to one count of criminal vehicular homicide, according to court documents.

Pedro Ricardo Flores, 57, changed his plea Thursday to accept a plea deal. He’s also facing another count of criminal vehicular homicide, four counts of criminal vehicular operation and one count of second-degree driving while impaired, court documents say, but he’s maintained not-guilty pleas on those counts.

If the plea deal is accepted by the judge, he’s expected to receive a stay of imposition and a staggered sentence that would let him serve just three months in prison next year and four more months split between the following two years. He could also be ordered to pay restitution and spend up to a decade on probation.

As previously reported, Flores pleaded not guilty to the charges in August.

Last November, a judge dismissed the charges against Flores, saying there wasn’t enough evidence. The charges were reinstated in July by the Minnesota Court of Appeals after the state appealed this decision.

Prosecutors say that on Nov. 30, 2019, in Coon Rapids, Flores drove too fast for the snowy and slippery road conditions, causing his Toyota Camry to spin out. The Camry then crossed the median and hit another vehicle head-on.

A 5-year-old and a 2-year-old were injured in the crash. The 2-year-old later died.

Flores is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 13.